The Big Change
by FeelsGirl18
Summary: When Clary's life is suddenly turned upside down she doesn't know how to cope. However, when she meets her new neighbours things start to get interesting.
1. Chapter 1

I sat and I stared at the door. What was I doing here? I kept staring at the door as I tried to remember. A hair dryer turned on outside the door of the tiny cubicle but I didn't move. The tears kept streaming down my face as I tried to keep my sobbing quiet. How had I ended up here? The questions kept dancing around in my head and I had no answer to any of them. I knew the only way any of this would be fixed was if I left the bathroom, but I couldn't make my tired body move. Distantly I heard the hairdryer stop followed by the sound of footsteps leading away from me. Voices screamed in my head as I finally stood up and opened the door.

In the dim lighting of the public toilet, I could just make out a woman fixing her hair at the sink. She took one look at my tear stained face and pity entered her eyes. I was immediately embarrassed. I knew I looked terrible. My frizzy hair had to be standing on end in places and I knew my eyes and nose were swollen and red, but who was this woman to judge me? She had no idea what I was going through. I kept my head high as I walked past her out into the street. I knew I stood out, but I tried not to care as I made my way home again, aching from the cold that bit at my feet and legs. Why on earth had I gone out in mid Autumn in just three-quarter leggings and thongs? I sped forward, determined that I would make it home before the tears started pouring again. Seeing the light change ahead, I shoved my way forward determined that I would get there before it changed again.

Reaching my building I grabbed my key and jammed it into the lock hurrying to get inside and out of the howling wind that bit through the thin fleece I had put on top of my t-shirt. Again I asked myself why I had gone out in such thin clothes. The sky was darkening as I finally made it into my bedroom and looked out the window towards the horizon. The heavy clouds that blanketed the city hid the sunset from my view. Sighing I closed the curtain and surveyed my room. Everything was done just as my mum had asked before she went out that morning. Everything packed away in brown cardboard boxes ready for when the moving truck came early tomorrow morning. How had this happened? This was the kind of thing that happened in books and movies. Not to me. Not to normal happy girls who led normal happy lives. But here I was packing my life into boxes so that me and my mum could run from my dad.

Getting down onto the floor I checked under the bed for any last things that I may have left behind in my agitated rush this afternoon. All I saw was a few scraps of paper. I scooted forward and grabbed them thinking that they were pieces of one of my many torn up sketches only to find that it was The Picture. The one of Him. My mums New Boyfriend. The One we were going to go live with. I now remembered my anger last night when my mum handed me the photo. How I had ripped it into shreds and shoved them under the bed, the one place I couldn't see them. I stood up again and marched to the kitchen and threw them in the bin.

I knew that my mum hadn't been happy with my dad for almost as long as their marriage had lasted, but I had never expected that when my dad left for his big business trip last night, that my mum would immediately leave and come back on hour later with dozens of boxes and photo of her Boyfriend. Groaning in frustration I opened the fridge to look for something edible. My mum had told me that she wouldn't be home until late because she was going to be busy setting up a room for me at His place. Closing the fridge I go to the pantry and grab a cup of noodles and turn on the kettle for hot water. Everything out here looks normal. Here I could pretend that nothing was happening, that this was all just my imagination run wild again. The click of the kettle turning off pulls me from my daze.

Careful not to burn myself, again, I tip the steaming water of the dried noddles and mysterious yellow powder and place it down again. My whole life gone. After I finish my 'dinner', I go to my bathroom and start packing away the perfumes and makeup from the bench. Not that I ever used it but my parents always gave it to me anyway in the hopes that seeing it there everyday might inspire me.

From the pocket of my fleece I hear my phone start playing the Star Wars theme song. Smiling I reach into my pocket and grab my phone. "Hi Simon." I hear a laugh from the other end widening my own smile. "Hi Clary. My mum asked me to tell you that we are having your favourite for dinner and that she misses seeing you around." I laugh outright at that. "Simon, tell your very kind and generous mother that I am unable to come over tonight and that I was last over there yesterday!" We both laugh. "I know I know. But you know my mother." I smile. I do know his mother. I have known her since Simon and I became best friends when we were five. "Yeah I do Lewis. Tell her thanks for the offer but that I'm bust tonight." I hear his mock gasp. "Since when are you ever 'Busy' without me?!" I shake my head and laugh, not wanting to tell him what's going on just yet. "Bye Simon, I'll talk to you tomorrow ok?" I hear him sigh on the other end of the line. "Yeah Clary I'll talk to you tomorrow." I sigh before hanging up.

Moving on to the shower I start collecting shampoos and body washes and stacking them in the boxes too. Then my pocket starts playing the Jaws sound track. "I'm popular tonight." I mutter as I grab then phone. "Hi Mum" I say as I grab the boxes and walk back to mu bedroom with my phone pinned between my shoulder and cheek. "Hi Sweetheart I just wanted to make sure you were almost done packing, you had barely even started when I left." I roll my eyes. "Yes Mum I started. I finished too actually. I'm just putting the last box with the rest of them." "Ok good girl. I was just making sure because Luke asked us if we just wanted to use his truck and move tonight and I think that's a great idea. To just get it all over with." I grit my teeth placing the boxes on the ground. "If that's what you want mum I'm all packed and ready to go." I can practically hear her smile when she says, "Ok we'll be there in about 20 minutes. Love you Sweetheart." "Love you too." I mumble as I I hang up then phone.

The whole night I imagined myself to have to prepare for the move just vanished. In half an hour, they'll be here and I'll have met him and I'll be on my way out of the only house and the only family I've known. When they get here my mum walks in first with a big envelope under her arm. She must see me staring at it because she says, "Divorce papers." She says grimly, placing them on the kitchen counter, then walking back to the bedrooms to start grabbing boxes. I stare at the envelope in shock. For some reason I hadn't seen the divorce coming. Why not I don't know but the sight of the papers knocks the breath out of me. It makes everything seem so final. I can't believe she isn't even going to give them to him in person.

Then I hear the sound of someone coming up the buildings stairs and then the squeal of our old door being pushed open. I turn around and there he is. My mums boyfriend. She says I should call him Luke, but how can I call him anything when I don't know anything about him other than the fact that he has agreed to let me live with him. I felt a rush of vertigo when I thought about how on,y an hour ago I had been crying in a public toilet after I had left Simon at the arcade. Now I was meeting the man my mum and I were going to be moving in with.

Clutching at the counter I looked him over. Fairly average in every way was my opinion. Average height, maybe a tiny bit above, boring brown hair, wire rimmed glasses sat perched on a boring kind of nose. The only part if him that might warrant a second look was his eyes. Bright blue and piercing they seemed to be surveying me the same was I was him. I suddenly felt self conscious. I knew he was comparing me to my mother. Everyone did. It's just what happens when you look as much like your mother as I do. Only she is beautiful. Slim and elegant my mother would draw the eyes of everyone even without the bright red hair. Glittering green eyes dominate her face and her fair skin suits her in an Olde Worlde kind of way.

I on the other hand am short. The kind that makes people think that you are about 11 rather than a week out from your 16 birthday. My orangey red curls are far from the elegant hair that my mother has and my fair skin is covered in freckles. I am my mother with all the imperfections. But then Luke smiles at me. "Hello. I'm Luke, it's really nice to meet you Clary." I blink. "Hi" I stutter. "I'm Clary as you seem to know." My comment is apparently funny to him as he smiles wider. "Can I help you with your stuff? Or are you all good? Your mother seemed to think that you would have lots of art supplies that you would need help carrying."

I weigh it up in my head. If accept help from this man, that's almost kin to accepting him. On the other hand, those boxes of pencils and sketch books are very heaving. I sigh and nod. "Thank you for offering. If it's ok, can you help me carry my sketch books?" He nods seeming to understand how I feel about the situation which surprises me. I was expecting someone who thought that I would like them from the beginning. I show him to my room and point at the boxes. Without comment he picks them up and walks out again leaving me to take one last look around my room.

Mum had told me that big things had to be left behind, along with anything I didn't deem essential. She wanted a quick, clean departure from her old life, with minimal things coming along with us. The tears I had been fighting all evening started gushing down my face again. All that I had ever known was gone. Mum chooses that moment to come in and check that I was following orders and grabbing my things. She took one look at my tears and sighed. "Come here Sweetie." She tells me, wrapping her arms around me. "It's going to be fine ok? Tell you what. Stay home tomorrow and you and I can spend the day doing over your new bedroom anyway you want. We'll buy paint and a new bed set, if you want we can even get started on your new bathroom too ok? Tomorrow will be just for you." The tears come faster and I start to gasp for air, choking on my tears. "Clary, you need to calm down sweetheart. I know this move isn't what you want. It's not exactly what I want either but it's what I need." I nod against her shoulder. It's not her fault she hates my dad and fears his random fits of aggression. I do to. I know I can't really blame her but it's a struggle not to anyway.

I feel her breath over my hair as she sighs and then she steps away grabbing one of my boxes. "Come one. Luke's waiting." I nod and grab the last few boxes and step out of my childhood bedroom for the last time, letting the door softly close behind me.

As it turns out, Luke lives in a nice house not that far from our apartment, meaning I don't have to change schools, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Why one man needed that many beds and toilets I don't know, but I guess it makes it convenient for him now that we moved in. Smiling slightly as he heads up a tiny flight of stairs, Luke tells me, "I don't want to offend you by putting you all on your own up here, but your mum thought you might like your own space and this is the biggest bedroom too. As your mum said tomorrow, we make it yours. Within reason of course I'm not made of money." he winks as he says that last part and I can't help but smile along with him.

"She was right." I admit. "I do like to be on my own a lot." Reaching the top of the stairs, Luke opens the door and let's me in. I must be right at the very top of the house, as the roof gently slopes towards the floor on the left and right sides of the room. The walls are just a generic white, so are the sheets in the large bed pushed up against the middle of the left wall and in the right side of the room is a large wooden desk with dark wooden doors on either side. But the far wall is the star of the room. Large windows look out towards the city skyline in the middle distance.

"The doors lead to your bathroom and wardrobe. I know it's a bit empty now, but when you unpack and we paint and get new sheets I think it could be pretty cool." I nod stunned. I had been expecting something more like a dark dingy room in a small cramped house and then I see all of this. He smiles, "I'll leave you on your own now to unpack. If you need anything, your mother and I are in my room, which is opposite the stairs. If you get hungry or thirsty the kitchen is just down the hall. Goodnight Clary." I nod and give him a small smile which he returns before silently closing the door, soft footsteps on the stairs the only audible noise this far from the city.

I look over at all the boxes that my mum and Luke had carried up for me so I could just "Get prepared to see my room." and walk to the nearest one, pulling it onto the bed. Inside I see all my favourite photos and sketches. I pick up the one on top, the only one in a frame. It's a photo of me and my mum on my fifteenth birthday. Dad took this one, I think as I place it on the small table next to the bed. He had been so happy and proud that night. He kept telling me that I was all grown up. His big brave girl he told me again and again. Mum laughed all night and smiled at everything that we said to her.

Looking back into the box I decided to leave the rest. No point starting to pin up photos when mum and Luke say we're going to paint the walls soon. Pushing that box back to the floor. I grab the next one and see it's only full of clothes. Time to do a little exploring I guess. Standing with the box, I cross the room and open the nearest door. Yep it's the cupboard all right. A large walk in closet too. I smile. Stepping inside I put the box down and fumble for a light switch. In my struggle I trip over the box. Clumsy Clary, that's me. Grumbling to myself as I stand I resume my search and am rewarded by a light flicking on.

It's almost two hours later when I finish unpacking the things I can unpack like clothes and toiletries and shuffle the rest of the boxes out of the way to deal with later. When I finally slip into bed it looks almost as if the sun is rising over the city skyline and I smile, imagining waking up to a view like this everyday.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi readers! This is my first story and I was super happy with the reception this story. I hope this chapter isn't a let down and that you all love it. Please review my story so I know what you like and what you want me to change. Massive thank you to my first reviewer and I promise I'm going to keep updating for the foreseeable future. These beautiful characters all belong to Casandra Clare :(**

The cruel morning light beat against my closed eyelids as I slowly woke up. Groaning I move to pull the doona back over my head only to have it snatched away from me. Confused I try to grab for it only to hear my mother's voice say, "Oh no you don't sleepy! We have lots to do today for the house and more specifically for your room so that means you have to get out of bed." I groan again and pull a face as I open my eyes and glare at her. "Come on Clary. Get out of bed. Luke went out and bought sweet buns for breakfast." I look suspiciously at my mum. "Yes I even put a request in on your behalf for your favourites." I grin and jump up hugging her. "Thanks Mum! I'll be right down I just have to get changed." She smiles. "Ok we'll try and wait for you. Hurry though while they're warm." I nod and hurry over to the bathroom and jump into the shower. I emerge from the steam in record breaking time, only 5 minutes later and dash into the wardrobe.

By the time I get down stairs mum and Luke are just starting to eat. They both get guilty looks on their faces when they see me standing in the door way. "Hi." They say in sync. When they realise what they did they turn and smile at each other sickeningly. I can't remember the last time Mum smiled at Dad like thatj. "Hi." I say back, "I thought you were waiting for me." The guilty looks return. "We were but then the buns started to go cold and you know they're so much better warm." I nod in a noncommittal way and sit down in one of the two empty chairs pulling the last plate of buns towards me.

"So Clary," Luke starts pulling my attention away from the buns again. Wasn't it those two telling me how much better they are warm? "How do you like your room? If you would prefer we really could move you to the spare bedroom." I notice how he already sees the room as mine. I also notice that he looks like he actually would help me move all my stuff again if I didn't like the room. "No it was amazing. I can't believe you don't want that room." He laughs gently. "A room like that's too cool for an old man like me. Or so the kids next door say. When I moved in they said that a room like that belonged to a teenager." I nod and smile. So this is the kind of place where you get friendly with the neighbours I think as I stand and move towards the sink.

"Cups?" I ask as I realise I don't know where anything is in here. "Cupboards right above the sink." Luke answers almost absentmindedly as he stares at his cup of coffee. I tell him thanks as I fill up the cup and return to the table.

Breakfast proceeds in the same awkward fashion until my mother declares, "Ok breakfast time is over. Now we go and we shop for Clary's room!" Luke and I smile at her just as there is a knock on the door. "Those are probably the neighbours kids I was telling you about. I told them I had another teenager moving in with me and they got so excited. They couldn't wait to meet you." I smile and nod while internally I freak out. New kids! Now! I only just moved in. I can barely even find my way from the kitchen to my bedroom to the front door and he's springing new people on me on top of that?!

My thoughts don't have time to get passed that point before Luke comes back, bringing three new people with him. As I look at them I take note of the expressions on their faces. The tallest boy standing right at the back looks bored and I bid angry as he stands their doing his best to ignore the rest of us. Up the front is a girl who looks about my age who has an excited expression on her face. But it's the boy in the middle who catches my attention. Tall, with golden blond hair and strange almost golden eyes set in a ridiculously handsome face. He looks like a mix between the other too. Bored, but with slight interest lighting his gaze as he takes in me and my mother.

"Hi," the girl starts. "What's your name? My name's Isabelle and these are my brothers Alec," pointing to the older one standing at the back, "and Jace." She finishes pointing at the golden one. I frown thinking brothers. While Isabelle may look like Alec with her dark hair and fine feature Jace is their opposite. "I'm sixteen," Isabelle continues oblivious, "and we live next door. We also have a little brother Max, but he's not home today." I nod and say, "Hi, I'm Clary. I'm fifteen, sixteen on Saturday, and I just moved here with my mum last night."

"Last night?" Jace says, confusion laced through his deep voice. "I'm sure I've seen you around before last night." I turn to him. "I'm fairly sure that I'd know when I moved here. My mum has been coming around here for a while I believe. Maybe you saw her." He frowns. "Maybe. You must think us all very rude that we came and barged in here on your first morning in a new place?" I shrug, not willing to give an answer. "I told Isabelle we shouldn't have compute but she was so excited by the thought of a girl close to her age moving in just next door." All I do is smile. I distantly here Isabelle beginning to apologise but Luke cuts her off. "I'm sure Clary would appreciate being left alone for a bit now. Maybe you could come back later and help Clary set up her room?" He turns to me with a question in his eyes as he says that last bit. I nod and quietly say, "That would be great Isabelle." She beams at me and tells me that she'll be back around mid day tomorrow with Jace to help. "I'd bring Alec too," she tells me, "only he's a bit of a sulk and we would have no fun with him around." I smile at her agreeing blandly. She seems to be satisfied as she grabs each of her brothers and marches back out of the kitchen with Luke trailing behind halfheartedly.

My mum looks over at me and even she seems overwhelmed. "Well, that was something." she says as Luke re-enters the kitchen. He only nods and grabs the keys to his truck off the hook in the wall. "Shopping?" He asks us. I nod mutely as my mum smiles and thanks him for looking after us. He just smiles and says anything for his two girls. Something about this jars me a bit. That was something my dad used to say when I was little after one of us begged him to do something. Hearing Luke say it, so soon after I just met him upsets me. It's not that he's not nice, or that I don't like him, it's just that I don't really know him and he doesn't really know me. I know when he says that he's thinking about mum not me but still.

Then something else occurs to me. This is him showing that he accepts me as well as my mum. His way of saying he will look after us. I know for a fact that not many men would be willing to accept a woman and her teenage daughter into his home and I guess it makes me happy that Luke does accept me. Of course I personally would be happier staying back home with dad, but I see why mum likes this guy.

I smile at him when he looks over at me for confirmation and I simply say, "Yeah, shopping." He smiles back at me and walks over to a door I hadn't noticed before on the back wall of the kitchen and opens it. "Ladies first." He tells us standing back and holding the door as my mum and I step through. "Thanks Luke." I say as I step out into his small backyard and turn my face up to the sky, letting the morning light warm my face. I hear laughter and turn to see Luke whispering something in my mother's ear. Again I wonder when the last time she was that happy for dad was. Nothing immediately comes to mind. Sighing I walk over to the truck to wait.

"First stop, paint store." Luke declares as we pull into a small parking lot. I jump out of the car and walk towards the shop, wanting to get this over with. "Why the sad face?" Luke calls to me as I reach the doors to the store. "Clary hates all forms of shopping my mother tells him with mock seriousness. "She never goes unless she absolutely had to. Or she's shopping for art supplies. She likes that." I nod along with her words as I step through the doors. Immediately that smell of wet paint assaults my nostrils and I take another breath to adjust before I move deeper into the shop.

I stop in front of a selection of orange paint strips. My walls back at home are orange and u would really like to keep them that way. From the first time my parents brought me home from the hospital I've had those walls. A remnant from when it was my mums painting studio. But as I reach for the strips, I freeze. Maybe I don't actually want orange. Maybe I should choose a new colour for my new room, for my new life. Turning on my heel I walk towards the colours furthest from the oranges. The greens and the blues.

I walk backwards and forwards for almost an hour trying to choose just the perfect shade. Finally I see a strip on the ground that someone must have dropped and I know that's the colour I want. I soft sea colour with blue and green undertones. I walk over to my mum and Luke and say, "This one." They both nod, Luke seeming slightly relieved and my mother looking intensely at me. As another artist she knows that these are the exact opposite of the soft orange that used to paint my walls as her eyes seem to ask, are you sure? I nod once and hand the sample to them to go and buy the paint. I vaguely hear them arguing over who's going to pay for the paint as I walk over to a window that looks back out over the mostly empty lot. I know that I did the right thing buying such a different colour, but the significance of this moment is overwhelming me. I just said good bye to one if the last things I had from home.

Sighing I turn and join Mum and Luke as they walk towards the doors, still arguing about who should have paid for the paint. "She's my daughter Luke you should have just let me pay for her paint." "No I shouldn't have. I told you that I would look after her like she was my own daughter and that means buying the paint. Plus it's my house we're putting the paint on anyway Jocelyn." The bickering goes on and on until we reach the next shop, bed linens.

Before any of us can even step out of the car my mum announces, "I'm paying at this shop no arguments." I laugh and say, "Ok Mum. I won't stop you." But it's Luke her glare is directed at. He nods and then opens the door, leaving us to follow him into the shop.

The rest of the shops pass by in a blur of colours and fabrics and by the time we get back to the house, the back of the truck is piled high with bits and pieces for my room. The three of us each take something and walk up the stairs to my room to get started. "I think we should start with the paint." Luke declares. "If we do the first coat now, and the second one early tomorrow the room should be go for sleeping again by tomorrow night." I agree seeing the logic in this and so does my mother and we are halfway through moving my bed away from the wall when I realise what he said. "Wait what do you mean tomorrow night? Where will I be sleeping tonight if I won't be sleeping in here?" Luke just laughs softly. "Don't worry, there are plenty of other places for you to sleep. I was thinking the spare bedroom, just to highlight how amazing this room is, but the couch can be arranged for you." I blush, "Right." I say.

They laugh at my blush and we finish moving the bed and laying out drop sheets the protect the wooden floors in silence. When we start painting the walls however the silence stops. My mum and I yell and squeal as Luke chases us with his wet paint brush when he has me cornered I let out a strangled yelp and try to doge as he comes at me with the brushes while my mother just stands behind him and laughs. Traitor. He manages to get me across the face and then he turns his back to go after my mother. I use his distraction to my advantage and jump on to his back with a battle cry and start sweeping the brush through his hair. He just laughs and starts trying to dislodge be but like a money I hold on and keep painting until his whole head is painted green blue.

When I finally jump down to survey the damage I take one look at him and laugh. He looks slightly disgruntled but he laughs to and even my mother joins in again. For the first time I feel safe and happy here and I realise that I could really be ok with living here. Sure, it's not the life I had and it's not the perfect life that I want, but I really could be happy here. I can't help but smile as I come to this realisation and this leaves me totally unprepared for Luke's surprise retaliation. "Ah!" I scream as he swipes the brush across my face in an aggressive arc. He and mum just laugh and run from my anger. As they should. People thing because I'm small that I can't be scary. I love those innocent people.

20 minutes later the walls are painted and the three of us troop downstairs for food. Just as we sit down again there is another knock at the door.

 **A/N please review! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi Everyone! Sorry there was such a large gap between chapters! I have exams coming up and I got a tad overwhelmed for a bit there. Anyway here it is and I hope you like it leave me a review so I can make the story better! All the characters belong to Cassandra Clare unfourtunately.**

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 _Just as we sit down again there is another knock at the door._

We all look at each other and our paint covered state and we all laugh awkwardly, "This will be interesting," Luke mumbles to himself as he heads towards the front door still chuckling a bit to himself. Me and my mum stare at each other with an awkward silence stretching out before us. Not sure what to say, I look at the windows over the sink at the fading light.

Just 24 hours ago I was in my bedroom in my family's apartment, packing my room into boxes and worrying about the move. Now I'm sitting in the kitchen of my new house, a house that belongs to a man that isn't my father, that I didn't know only 24 hours ago and strangely, I'm happier than I was then as well.

At that moment my thoughts are interrupted by Luke returning with Jace and Isabelle. "Hello." Isabelle says guiltily. Strangely, Jace looks embarrassed and a little bit upset. Luke laughs and sits back down next to my mother and immediately start whispering and laughing. Meanwhile I'm sitting there, feeling very conscious of the fact that I am coved in paint. Finally Jace speaks. "Sorry to interrupt your evening. I know this one," he points at Isabelle, "Said we would be back tomorrow but then she spent all day telling me how much she wanted to come back over. She demanded that we visited again as soon as she saw the truck was back in the drive. However," and I can tell that he is barely holding back laughter as he says this, "It looks like you have been very hard at work anyway!" At this he starts chuckling away to himself.

I glare and Isabelle must notice because she turns to him and loudly demands that he needs to apologise to me. He keeps laughing, if anything laughs more, until Isabelle pinches a chunk of his arm in between to long red nails and twists, still demanding that he apologise. "Ouch! Izzy that hurts! Ouch stop it stop it! Ok I'm sorry Clary!" I smile in a vaguely demonic way and this sets Isabelle off. "Oh yes Clary! We are going to be very good friends indeed." I smile back and then glare at Jace again. "If you don't have anything worthwhile to say, then get out of my kitchen." He seems to think I'm kidding. "Your kitchen?! You only moved in here last night and you're already trying to order me out?" I nod smirking as Isabelle giggles. It's then that the doorbell rings yet again. Luke dutifully stands and walks out to answer the door.

Jace and I have an unofficial staring contest as we wait to return. When he does, he has Simon in in tow. "This kid says he knows you. Is it true, or do we need to kick him out on the veranda?" He's smiling as he says it, but I think he wouldn't mind if I did tell him to chuck Simon out. "No," I say with a small smile on my face, slowly shaking my head. "unfortunately I do know that loser. Hey Simon." Simon doesn't smile as he looks at me. "How did you know where I was?" I ask, it just occurring to me that I never told Simon I was moving. He holds up his phone and says in a monotone, "Find my Friends tracked you for me. Can I talk to you Clary? Like the in private kind of talk?"

Everyone looks at me with raised eyebrows. "Um, Luke?" I ask, not really sure where else we could go, now that my room has been painted. He smiles, still looking curiously at us and starts to lead us out of the kitchen. "So um, do you want us to go home or should we just wait?" I hear Isabelle call. "I don't know." I answer. Maybe wait if you want? I don't know ho long we'll be but hopefully not too long if you want to just wait?" She nods at me and her and Jace take seats at Luke's little table, while the man himself takes us to another bedroom. "Spare room," he explains to me. "Where you'll be sleeping tonight, so remember how to get here!" He jokes, "I'll be testing you on your memory later." I laugh and tell him that I'll do my best. He smiles again and leaves closing the door behind him.

I turn and look at Simon again. "Hi." I say, kind of guiltily. He doesn't smile or say hi back. "So, um, thanks for the surprise visit?" He still doesn't smile at me. The silence stretches on for what feels like hours. Finally he sighs and starts asking me. "What are you doing here Clary? And why didn't you tell me you were coming here? Why didn't you answer your phone at all today? I was worried Clary. Who is that guy and how do you know him? And who are those kids and why did they seem to know you?"

I almost smile at his rambling. It's his most adorable nervous tell. However I think he might crack it at me if I did, so I keep a somber look on my face. "So I'll um, do my uh best to answer your questions? If you ask them one at a time?" He nods a little. "Fine. Why didn't you answer your phone?" I smile. "Easy, I was out all day and I didn't have my phone with me at all. I didn't mean to make you worry, I just didn't think that I'd need it." He doesn't respond, he just asks the next question. "How do you know that guy?" I go still, not sure what to say. "He's ah. He's ah my mum's boyfriend."

At this Simon goes still and looks at me in shock. "Seriously?" I nod. "Seriously Si." He nods contemplatively. "What about the kids?" I smile at the jealousy in his tone. "Neighbours. Luke told them he had a teenager coming to live with him and they came over to say hi." He looks at me suspiciously. "Are you sure?" He asks. "I mean you seemed really familiar with that blonde dude, the way you were glaring at each other. It almost looked like a mock fight between two close friends." I shake my head. "I'm really sure Simon. I met them for the first time this morning. They came over to say hello and see if I needed any help moving my stuff are setting up my room. As for Jace, well he's just annoying. I swear I only met them today."

Simon nods. "Final question. And I guess this was already answered, but. Why are you here Clary?" I stare into the eyes of my lifelong best friend and answer as best as I can. "I don't really know. I mean, Mum was never really happy with Dad, but I still didn't think that it would come to something like this you know? This kind of stuff happens to other people. But here I am. Mum wants a divorce and she wants custody of me. So when she ran out on Dad yesterday and came here, to Luke, I came too." Simon gets a funny look on his face. "So this is..." "Yeah, this is permanent as far as I can see." He nods. "So, can I see your new room?"

By the time we find the kitchen again Isabelle and Jace are standing up to leave. "Of there you are! We just going to leave you guys." I smile. "I'm taking Si upstairs to my room. Want to see it so far?" She nods enthusiastically and Jace smiles and doesn't make a comment so I lead them to the staircase. "Seriously?!" I hear Simon call. "He put you in the attic?" I look down and shake my head as I reach the top of the stairs. "No I put myself up here. This is the best room in the house according to Mum and Luke." I hear Simon huff but I ignore him and open the door to my room.

Through the car window I can see the NYC skyline outlined by the bright colours of the setting sun. The smell of paint is strong but already not as bad as it was. I hear the three guests gasp as the see the city. "Wow," Isabelle says, "you were right. This is the best room in the house." I smile at her and nod my agreement. "Looks like there's not a whole lot we can do to help at the moment is there?" I grin at her. "Not unless you want to come over bright and early to help us paint on the second coat." She seems to think about this, then announces, "Jace and I will be here early tomorrow to help you paint and then unless you have other plans, we will stay and help you organise all your things." I laugh while Jace splutters indignantly. "Sure if you want, but I wasn't kidding when I said early. Luke was thinking about six in the morning before he and Mum have to leave for work." Her face pales and Jace's sputtering gets louder. Then she declares, "We will be there." I smile at her courage and then lead everyone back downstairs.

"Well," Jace mutters. "This has been sufficiently awkward. I've been recruited for a painting job at six in the morning and my services have been volunteered to you, against my will, for the whole day tomorrow, so I think me and Isabelle are going to cal, it a night." I giggle and agree and listen to the two siblings bicker as they walk back down the hall way and out of the house. "Simon?" I ask. "I guess I have to go too huh?" I look at him sadly. "Maybe. But you can always come back tomorrow and do whatever Jace and Isabelle are planning on doing, not much probably." He grins. "Ok then! I can work with that! I'll be back at a REASONABLE hour tomorrow to help, seeing as I don't live just next door." I laugh at that. "Ok, see you at a REASONABLE hour then." He hugs me and I give him a peck on the cheek before I lead him back out of the house.

When I arrive back in the kitchen, my mother fixes me with a stare. "You didn't tell him we were moving." I return her stare and reply, "How exactly do you have that conversation Mum? And anyway I thought you wanted to keep this all a secret?" She just sighs at me and goes back to helping Luke cook dinner. "If you two don't mind, I'm gonna go upstairs and wash the paint off." Luke tells me that's fine and that dinner will be half an hour. I tell him thanks and then rush towards my warm shower.

When I traipse back downstairs almost an hour later Mum and Luke are almost finished serving the food. Mum sighs when I walk in and then turns away from me. I groan at the look on her face and then I see that Luke looks almost like he's trying not to laugh at us. I from at him. "What are you laughing at Luke?" I demand still glaring at his laughing face. He shakes his head and then says, the daughter as clear in his voice as it was on his face, "You too. You are the two most stubborn people I have ever met. Jocelyn, you know that if Clary had told Simon, as you accused her of not doing, you would be just as upset as you are now. And Clary, you stormed off and then when you just got back down you said nothing to her other than groan at the fact that she didn't speak first." He starts laughing at that. "I want you two to meet my sister. She's almost as stubborn as you. Maybe you could learn from each other."

Both me and my mother laugh at this and she nods in agreement. I scowl at his accusations but I can't keep me face straight in the face of their laughter. Still scowling, I nod my agreement. At this, Luke's face breaks out into a huge grin and he nods at me as well, making me feel like I've just been initiated into sone kind of club. Like when I was eight and me and Simon made up our own club and created an impossible initiation task that neither of us completed.

After Luke smiles at me, I grin back at him, and then Mum serves up dinner. Then the three of us sat around in that bright little kitchen and smiled at each other and laughed as we ate our dinner together. By the time we finish eating and cleaning up, I'm starting to feel sleepy and my vision is getting a bit blurry around the edges. After I stumble into the table, as I move to put the last plate away, Mum and Luke laugh. "I'll take you to bed now if you would like Clary." Luke tells me. I just agree sleepily to more laughter. "Ok" He tells me gently and then he helps lead me out of the kitchen and towards the spare bedroom where Simon and I spoke earlier in the evening.

After Luke leaves I crawl clumsily under the covers and snuggle into the soft pillows. Just as I move to close my eyes, I notice that from this room I can see through the open curtains into the house next door. The last thing my aching eyes see as I fall asleep is a golden boy calmly getting ready for bed.

I'm woken at an ungodly hour by the sound of someone pounding on my door. "Clary!" The voice sounds vaguely familiar but in my half asleep state I can't place it. "Clary!" the voice shrieks again but I still don't remember who the voice belongs to. "Clary! You asked me to come over at this unholy hour and you aren't even up yet?! You have five minutes to arrive in the kitchen bright eyed and bushy tailed or Jace and I are coming in and getting you!"

Isabelle! Right, I asked her to come over early to help me paint and here she is and I'm not even out of bed yet. I wasn't even awake yet! I dash around the room in a daze pulling on the old clothes paint spattered clothes that I wore to paint last night and then rush out into the hallway just as Isabelle emerges from the kitchen with Jace trailing behind her. "Close." She comments. "Jace and I were just about to come and get you." I glare at her. "So I see. What if I had been changing when you and Jace came in?" She rolls her eyes at me. "Please Clary, like I would let my brother perv on one of my friends. I was planning on coming in first, just in case and then if you didn't come with me and you weren't changing, then I would have called Jace."

I frown at how well thought out her plan is. Jace seems to notice this as he tells me, "This is her first show Clary. She regularly forces a multitude of people to do things that they don't want to do. She has enforced each of those steps multiple times. She even has a back-up plan in case those steps she mentioned to you don't work." I blink in shock. She gives Jace a death stare and then tuns back to me. "Food first or painting first?" My stomach growls and she laughs. "Food." Isabelle agrees while Jace laughs at me. I stare at him until his laughter stops and then he starts to look uncomfortable.

I smile, pleased with my work and then ask, "Are Mum and Luke up yet?" Isabelle makes a funny face. "Of course not, why would I wake such nice people up at six in the morning?" I sigh. "But it's ok to wake me. Wait, how did you get in here if I didn't answer the door and they didn't either?" They both have sheepish looks on their faces as Jace says, "We found the back door unlocked so we just came in. We honestly didn't think you would mind." I shake my head making a mental note to check the back door every night before I go to sleep and walk down to meet them at the kitchen door.

As I walk into the kitchen I remember that I don't know this kitchen very well and that I am an awful cook. "Um, I hope you guys don't expect me to cook you something amazing. I can't cook." They both laugh. "No worries," Jace chuckles, "We ate before we came." I nod in recognition as I move towards the fridge and do my best to hide my blush with my hair. From the laughter behind me, it didn't work.

I start opening cupboards at random, looking for something I could eat for breakfast. I finally find a box of muesli bars that look somewhat decent and I grab one and turn to face my companions. Isabelle smiles and Jace smirks, a look I can already tell that he makes often and I down the bar in four bites as they watch me. The mood is incredibly awkward by the time I throw the wrapper in the bin and gesture for us to move out into the hall. They both nod silently as I try to act like I know where I am going.

The silence holds as we walk upstairs and into my room. Then Isabelle says, "At least the paint is dry and that awful paint smell is fading." Jace and I nod as I move to grab the remaining paint tins. "So," I start, "I ah, think that the walls are dry enough to start the next coat so, yeah." They just nod and grab brushes, bickering as they argue about who is going to paint which walls.

Three hours later the walls are done and the sun has fully risen over the skyline visible through my window. As we finish with a laugh and wash the brushes in the sink as I yelp about getting splashes on my things and then we head downstairs where we are assaulted by the salty smell of bacon. This speeds our progress and the three of us start racing towards the kitchen pushing and shoving to try and reach the kitchen first.

When we push through the door laughing and yelling at each other. When we stumble to a halt we hear Mum and Luke laughing as the watch us. "I take it you smelt the food huh?" We nod eagerly as Mum turns to Luke. "What do you think Luke? Do we have enough to share?" Luke smiles and says I'm sure we can work it out. Have you finished painting? No breakfast until you're done painting." We all nod solemnly and they laugh again at the looks on our faces.

Just as Luke moves to share out the food the we hear the door.

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 **A/N Please review to help me make it better! ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys. This is a slightly longer chapter. I wasn't happy with how short the original one was, or how it ended, so I've updated it. Thank you to everyone who reviews my story and please keep reviewing! I can only improve if you guys help me. These magical characters belong to Cassandra Clare.**

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 _Just as Luke moves to share out the food, we hear the door._

"I'll get it!" I say still giggling and moving towards the door. I walk out into the hall and head down and get the door just as the bell rings again. "I'm coming!" I yell as I open the door. When I open it is see a very sheepish looking Simon standing on the other side.

"Hi Clary." "Hi Simon. Unfortunately you missed the painting stage of the morning but you managed to get here just in time for the family breakfast before Mum Luke leave for work." He grins. "I just have that magic timing don't I? So I still get to attend family breakfasts even with the new guy in the picture?" I roll my eyes. "Of course Si. Now can you come in? It's freezing and I wouldn't put it past Jace to eat my share of the bacon." I pull him in and shut the door behind him.

"I thought you said it's a family breakfast?!" Simon sputters. I frown at him. "I did. I think that's what you call a breakfast you eat with your family isn't it?" The sputtering noise continues. "But you just said Jace was going to eat all your bacon!" I sigh in exasperation. "Exactly! That's why we have to go back to the kitchen now before he does!"

Just then Luke calls back down the hall, "Clary? You coming? Jace is trying to make moves on your bacon! I can only hold him off alone for so long!" This is followed by the muffled sounds of laughter followed by a sharp yelp that sounds like Jace's. "No!" I yell and Spring down the hallway not caring if Simon follows or not.

"Don't you dare!" I screech just as Jace reaches for my plate. He looks up in shock and then pulls an angelic expression onto his face. "Aw come on Clary. I was just gonna have a bit." I glare at him and he flinches back a bit. "Not of my bacon you won't." I say and sit down pulling my plate over and taking big bite out of some of the bacon. It's then that Simon wanders into the kitchen.

"Simon!" My mother exclaims. "It's good to see you again! Sorry we don't have any breakfast left. You ate before you came didn't you? Tell me you did. I'll feel bad if you haven't eaten and I don't have any food to give you." He gives a smile. "Don't worry. My Mum would never let me out of the house without a good nutritious breakfast." My mother nods. "That would be very unlike Elaine to do something like that wouldn't it? Well Luke and I have to go but Clary and the others aren't going anywhere so goodbye everyone!" She calls and then grabs Luke and drags him out of the kitchen.

With my bacon safely consumed by me, even though Jace is still staring at my empty plate sulkily, I turn back to Simon. "What were you going on about a family breakfast? Don't you want to be included in stuff like that anymore?" I say feeling hurt. "It's not that, it's just that I sister realise Jace had made family status yet." He says glaring at the blonde haired boy who just smirks at this admission. "Jocelyn loves me." Jace crows gleefully. At this Isabelle promptly pinches him again and his smile quickly disappears.

"Oh for goodness sake Simon! It's not like that and you know it. You're my best friend, Jace and Isabelle are my new friends and neighbours. They came over at the crack of dawn," "Well before you were up for sure." Isabelle mumbles and I throw her a glare as I continue, "to help me paint my room so they got breakfast. What's wrong with that?" Simon pulls a face and mutters something under his breath. Choosing to ignore him while he's being stupid, I turn back to the others.

"If you don't want to help me wash the dishes you can go and wait in the living room. Mum will kill me if I don't clean up this mess." Isabelle nods. "Ok. Simon and I can go and talk," she says that word with emphasis as she looks him up and down, "while Jace helps you do this dishes to apologise for being such an asshat." With her speech finished she grabs Simon by the arm and practically frogmarches him from the room.

Jace looks up at me. For a sudden golden face, smiling softly for once stuns me, then he starts talking and I shake myself from the spell. Trying to think about anything other than how much I would love to draw his angular face.

"I wash, you dry and we both put away?" He asks me and I nod and say "What we can put away anyway. I don't know where much stuff belongs yet." He nods and moves to the sink and turns on the tap. "Yeah. You really haven't been here long have you? So, how's it going? I mean how are you adjusting. This has to be pretty different to however you were living before."

I stare at him for a second. "What do you mean?" I ask, not one hundred percent sure I heard what I thought I did. "How are you doing. I mean abruptly moving in with your mum's boyfriend, you I doubt you met before you came, can't be easy. I know what it's like to have you life uprooted and have to move in with strangers." I stare at him. "You're right I guess. It hasn't been easy." I see the sink is about to over flow and a lunge forward and turn off the tap just in time. I notice that I'm now really close to Jace and step back again, blushing. "Luke's nice though and they've been really accommodating in fining me some time to adjust. And I do have the coolest room in the house AND people to help me decorate it."

He smiles at me and it's like pure sunshine. This ridiculous thought makes me blush again and Jace laughs at my easy blushes. "You're right. You do have some really awesome people to help you. Well at least one awesome person. The other too are kind of questionable." I smile ready to get him. "Yes well, Simon is pretty awesome." I watch as the shock and then laughter crosses his face. "You got me." he admits and I smile beatifically at him.

"Ok dishes done. You know what? Let's just leave them on the bench. Mum and Luke can put them away." Jace smiles and agrees. It's just then that Simon comes back into the kitchen and sees Jace and I standing in the middle of the kitchen just smiling at each other. I turn away from Jace and look to Simon. "Ready to help me sort?" He just stares at me but doesn't object when I grab his hand and start towing me to my bedroom.

As the three of them start pulling all the drop sheets off the floor and furniture I start unloading my boxes from the walk in wardrobe again. "The walls are still too wet to hang anything or pin anything but if you guys could help me start sorting through all this I would really appreciate it." Isabelle nods enthusiastically and grabs the nearest box and starts shuffling through everything. I pull the box closest to me closer and open it.

It's the box full of photos and sketches again. As I start sorting through them and deciding which ones I do and don't want, I find one and gasp. "Simon!" I call him over. "Look what I found!" I say and show him the photo. It's was from when we were quite little. It was his eighth birthday and we went to Coney Island for the day. We played games and ate fair food and he has always said it was his best birthday ever. The photo is of the two of us standing in front of the Ferris wheel with huge smiles on our faces with sticks of fairy floss in our hands.

He takes it from me and smiles. "I hope this one makes the cut." He says and I laugh. "Why wouldn't it make the cut? It's one of my favourite photos." By now Jace and Isabelle have wandered over to see what we are talking about. "Look!" I say. "Weren't we the cutest?" Isabelle coos and agrees while Jace looks sceptical. "Well one of you was. I can't say much for the other." Isabelle rounds on him. "Jace! Be nice or Clary won't invite us back!"

I smile at her. "Don't worry Isabelle." She looks shocked but Jace looks triumphant. "It would just be Jace who wouldn't get invited back." This makes her look happier but Jace looks shocked. "You'd ban me from coming over because of a joke?" I smile. "Yes. But if it was just a joke, then you don't mean it and therefore will have no trouble apologising." He look flabbergasted but Isabelle's grin widens and she declares "You, Clary Morgenstern, are my new favourite person!"

I smile and loop my arm around her shoulders. Jace turns to her. "You're not going to let them make me apologise for joking are you?" She stares at him. "Yes I am Jace. So get in with it. Nothing happens until you apologise." He turns to me eyes pleading. "Come on Clary! It was a joke! Don't make me apologise over a joke!" I glare at him. "You making fun of my best friend is no joke. Apologise."

Finally after much more yelling, Jace spins to face Simon and yells out an apology. Then he declares. "I did it. So stop picking on me!" We all just stare, even though Simon looks quite smug that we made Jace apologise to him. I round on him. "Don't look like that. Now you have to say that's ok. I know it was just a joke." He looks at me incredulously. "Clary-" "No Simon, say it." One glare is all it takes to crack Simon, who quickly says his part.

Turning back I start pulling my favourite sketches from the box. "Wow." Jace says behind me, giving me a fright and causing me to drop the sketch. Jace quickly grabs it and picks it up. "This is beautiful. Did you draw this?" I nod dumbly and reach for the sketch, but he doesn't give it back. "This really is amazing Clary. Where did you learn this?" I sigh and say, "If I tell you do I back?" He nods so I tell him "No one taught me. I watched my mum paint and tried that but I couldn't make anything look right, so she suggested if I like art so much I should try drawing. And I did. And I liked it and was good at it. Now can I have it back?" He hands it back to me only to reach into the box and grab another.

"Hey! Give that back!" He grins cheekily. "You never said I couldn't grab another one. You just said I had to give that one back!" I glare angrily. "A mistake obviously, I'll remember for the future. Now give it back!" He frowns at me. "Alright alright. I didn't think it was such a big deal." "They're private. Give it back and don't grab another on either." Still frowning he passes it back to me. "I'm sorry Clary, I didn't realise that they're pretty private." I nod not looking at him, still too pissed and he sighs and walks away mumbling under his breath.

Then I feel someone coming up behind me and turn to see Isabelle standing there. "What happened with Jace just now? You looked pretty pissed off and he has a weird look on his face." I sigh and look back down at the box. "Nothing Isabelle. Jace was just being a jerk. It's fine, I dealt with it." She pulls a face. "I don't think so Clary. Jace is a jerk constantly. What did he do that was particularly insulting?" "Really nothing Isabelle." She smirks. "Fine then. I'll ask Jace, who will tell me his biased opinion and I'll do my best to believe him." I glare at her. "Fine. Jace was pawing through my sketches without permission and then again after I had specifically asked him to stop."

At this, Isabelle storms over to Jace and starts whispering to him and using her hands to gesture wildly as she talks. I turn back to what I was doing. It's midday by the time everything is sorted and the bed is made and the curtains hung. The walls aren't quite dry yet, so there is nothing pinned up yet and the furniture is still all over the place. Let me just say that hanging curtains is not as easy as it looks. It took all four of us the best part of an hour to figure it out. Good thing they look so good.

"Finally," I say, "I thought that this was going to take us all day at the rate we were moving." Simon and Isabelle laugh but Jace doesn't say anything. I look at him wondering why he's so upset. He has barely spoken since this morning. I internally shrug my shoulders and sigh. Then I realise that he hasn't spoken since Isabelle spoke to him. Groaning I turn to him and say. "Come with me." I then march across the room and down the bottom of the stairs I stand and wait for him. When he is halfway down the stairs I take off again, moving towards the spare bedroom, wanting this conversation to be private.

When we are both inside and I've pulled the door shut, I turn to him. "What did Isabelle say to you?" He gives an empty laugh. "No actually, the question is what did you say to Isabelle? I saw the two of you whispering before she ambushed me." I wince at the use of the word ambush but stand tall as I answer. "Nothing really. She asked me if we'd argued and what we had argued about. I first told her nothing really and she called bullshit so I told her the truth."

Jace jumped at my casual swearing. He quickly composes himself and then replies with, "And what version of the truth would this be?" I stare at him. "How many versions of the truth can there be?" "I don't know Clary, you tell me." I stare at him. 'He sounds so angry,' I think, 'I wonder what Isabelle told him.'

"What did she tell you?" He looks at me blankly. "Isabelle, what did she tell you?" He groans. "Clary, just stop ok? Stop playing this game. She absolutely tore into me and didn't tell me why, right after she had been talking to you. So again, the question is, what did you tell Isabelle?" I huff in frustration. "All I told her was that you had been looking at my sketches, which I thought were private and that you were being a bit of a jerk. Nothing that incriminating."

"Are you sure that's all you said?" I glare at him. "What you think I asked her to yell at her brother over something as trivial as that?" "You didn't seem to think it was trivial when I was trying to look at your sketches." I stomp my foot and he looks at me shocked. "Jesus Clary, I didn't see you as the type of girl who stomps her foot. I thought girls didn't actually do that in real life. I don't think I've even seen Isabelle do that. And she has a flair for dramatics."

I do my best to tune him out while he gets it all out of his system. Finally he finishes it with. "...but then she has always been very territorial about her friends. All of them." I look up at him. "You done?" He just nods his head with a flicker of, was that guilt?, in his eye. "Well now we have this sorted, let's go back upstairs. Maybe we can order a pizza or something for lunch." "Clary," Jace says softly. "I really am sorry that I over reacted. I know you must be stressed out enough without me adding to that." I nod and walk past him and open the door.

When we get back upstairs, this time it seems that we are the ones that have walked in on a moment. Isabelle is making a high pitched noise that I think might be a giggle, while Simon is practically puffing his chest with pride at making her laugh. I hover awkwardly in the door way unsure as to whether or not I should go in. Jace however doesn't seem to care, as he marches straight in and claps his hands, waking them from their daze.

"Oh, hi Jace." Isabelle says brightly. "You should have heard that amazing joke that Simon just told. It was truly hilarious." Jace stares at her. "I find it really hard to believe that he said anything of value, let alone anything remotely funny."

Just as I begin to announce my plan to order a pizza for lunch, the door bell rings again. We all look around at each other. "Who could that be?" Isabelle wonders. "You don't have anymore cute stalker friends do you Clary?" Simon looks as though he's not sure whether to be pleased by the fact that she thinks he's cute, or upset by the fact she thinks he's a stalker.

"I guess I'll go get it. You guys just stay here and talk about pizza. It's probably just a salesman. But! Do not order without me!" They laugh and agree and arguments about toppings and bases follow me down the stairs. I laugh to myself as I walk down the hall wondering what that was with Isabelle and Simon. 'It's obvious that he likes her, but how much does she like him?' I'm contemplating different ways to set them up, when I open the door.

Before I can even make out a face through the glare of the sun, a familiar voice coldly says, "Hello Clarissa."

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 **A/N: Please review! I love hearing what you guys all think of my writing! The only way I can make it better is if you tell me what you like, what you don't like, what you'd like to see more of.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone! Sorry it has been so long, I just got caught up with exams and then we went away and I only just got good enough access to wifi to post. It's a bit shorter than the last ones but I think it's ok. If you like it please post a review so I can make it even better! If you don't like it, still post a review so I know what to do better. These dynamic characters belong to Cassandra Clare.**

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 _Before I can even make out a face through the glare of the sun, a familiar voice coldly says, "Hello Clarissa."_

I blink in shock and work harder to fight the glare of the sun. "Oh, um, hi Dad?" He glares at me. "What are you doing out here! I go away for a few days and come back to an empty apartment and a stack of divorce papers?!" I wince. I knew that was a bad idea. "Well? What are you doing here? Where is Jocelyn?" I roll my eyes a little. "She's at work. She still has a job."

"How did you find us?" He snorts. "That, Clarissa, was the easy part. I tracked your phones and this was the address where they seemed to spend the most time. Now come along, when your mother comes home and sees you're gone she'll call me for help." There was a triumphant look on his face as he said that, "And then we shall reconcile and live happily forever."

I stare at him. "No she wouldn't." Valentine looks down at me. "No she wouldn't, what?" I roll my eyes fully this time. "No she wouldn't call you for help. She'd call Luke!" Then I realise my mistake and I turn back down the hallway trying to seem casual. It's just then that Jace walks down the stairs. "Clary! I was just coming to see what was taking you so long. I'm sooooooo." And then he sees Valentine. At the same time they say, "Who's this?"

I huff. "Jace, this is my father, Valentine Morgenstern. Dad, this is my neighbour, Jace." My father gasps. "What is he doing here? Did he break in?" I groan at him. "No dad. I invited him over to help me paint my new bedroom. You know how short I am, I needed the extra height and he's tall." He looks at me suspiciously. "What about your mother. Was she ok with you inviting a boy over when you're at home all alone?" Jace opens his mouth but I silence him with a glare.

"It was her idea. She thought that he seemed nice and that I should get to know the people I live right next to. His sister Isabelle's here too. With Simon. You remember Simon." He nods stiffly. "Well then. Give me the tour of this house. It's very well set up considering you have only been here less than a week." Jace gives me a look but I ignore him and start 'the tour'. "This is the living room and that door there is for the spare bedroom and through there is the kitchen, which has a backdoor and that door is Mum's room and finally, up the stairs is my room." He looks at the tiny rickety stairs and then back at me. "Well, take me up!"

I jump at the command but then push past Dad and Jace, climbing the stairs as fast as I can. "Now remember Dad. It's not done yet. I still have some things to do to it." "Doesn't matter. Just makes it easier to pack up quickly." I sigh and open the door.

Isabelle and Simon have commandeered my laptop and it appears that they are still looking at different topping combinations. "Finally!" Isabelle says without even looking up. "We were thinking-" Jace silences her by walking over and grabbing her shoulder. When she looks up and sees Valentine, the talking quickly stops.

"Hi sir." She says. "My names Isabelle." Valentine just looks at her for a moment. Then he says. "I am Valentine Morgenstern, Clarissa's father. I've come to take her and her mother home." Isabelle looks confused. "But what about Luke? What does he say about this." Jace and I both glare at her, trying to communicate that she shouldn't have said that. I appreciate the way Jace backs me up like this. He doesn't know why yet, but I indicated that Valentine shouldn't know about Luke so he hasn't said anything.

"Who is this Luke?! He's been mentioned twice now and I still don't know who he is!" I decide that the safest course of action is to just tell the truth. "He's mum's boyfriend. This is his house." Valentine looks at me in mute horror. Simon chooses this moment to say, "Hi." Ignoring him, Dad turns to me again. "Why didn't she tell me? Why did she do this to me?" I shrug. "I don't know. Does it really matter that much whether she told you or not? You know now and either way Luke still existed so..." That horrified look starts to settle into his features.

"Um, hi!" Simon tries again. "We were just about to order pizza. Would you like us to get enough for you too?" Dad turns to him with some difficulty. "Yes please Simon." He says this in a very strained tone. "It seems I'm going to be staying here for a few hours."

I glance back up at him from where my gaze had drifted to the mutterings passing between the Jace and Isabelle. "What do you mean?" His face turns hard as he says. "I'm waiting to take my wife home." I stare at him. Does he not understand that she left him on her own free will? That Mum is happier here?

He looks at me almost dismissively. A look that I had already started to forget he gave me constantly. "If you won't come with me now start packing anyway. If you think this would make her happier then I'll go along with it. But the three of us are still leaving the instant Jocelyn gets back from work." I take note of the way he avoided saying 'home' as I open my mouth to respond. However I get a surprise when I feel someone touch my arm.

As I close my mouth and looks up to see Jace standing next to me and starting to talk to my father. I looks quickly over at Isabelle who is madly typing away on her phone. I roll my eyes as the discussion begins. "Excuse me Mr Morgenstern but maybe would you like to come downstairs with us and have some lunch and then maybe we could talk about this later when Mrs uh um Ms ah when Clary's mum gets home?" Valentine just stares at him.

"Who exactly are you to this family? A nobody. What makes you think you can order me around like a confused child!" "Dad!" I exclaim. "Jace has been very kind and very welcoming. Both he and Isabelle have been. They all came and checked on me when I arrived and Luke says," I didn't get any further before my father's face turned red with rage. He shouts "Do NOT!" And then the doorbell cuts him off. I distantly here Isabelle squeak something about getting it and then refocus on my father. It's not 30 seconds later when Isabelle returns with a woman who can only be her mother.

Dad looks shocked as he says "Maryse?" And looks at her as if they now each other. She nods once. A brisk movement that shows she is used to having the upper hand or to be in the position of power. "Isabelle told me you were here. I came to see if it really was you Valentine. I suspected that you were Clary's father given the information the kids told me but," He looks at Jace and Isabelle.

"These are your kids?" She looks at him, her eyes steely and says, "Yes." He blinks. "I didn't even know you had two children. Last time we spoke you only had a little boy. What was his name? Alexander that's right." Maryse's face doesn't change as says "I have four children now Valentine."

I hear a rumbling that can be nothing other than Luke's old truck. I slip out while the two adults continue to glare at each other and make random statements. I'm halfway down the stairs when I hear the door open and close softly behind me. I turn and see Jace standing at the top of the stairs.

I keep walking and ask "Why is she here?" Jace sighs. "Isabelle texted her in panic thinking he might actually try and kidnap you. She came to try and defuse the situation. Where are we going?" I snort softly at his assumption that whatever I'm doing he's coming. "I heard Luke's truck. I, am going to intercept him before he runs into Valentine."

Just ask finish speaking I hear the kitchen door open and Mum and Luke's laughter pour down the hall. "Shit." I mutter. What are they both doing here? What is either of them doing here. I run down the hallway with Jace right behind me and we burst into the kitchen. As soon as we are both inside I quickly close the door to minimise noise. I turn to see Jace has already started trying to explain the situation at hand.

"Valentine's here?" My mother asks quietly. "And wants to take me and Clary back 'home'?" Jace nods mutely and looks back at me. "Maryse is upstairs trying to distract him and calm him down a bit but I'm not sure that it's working."

Mum and Luke start mumbling quietly to each other and I tune them out. A few days ago, all I wanted was to go home. Now that Dad's here see why we left and... I'm not sure that I want to go back.

I start when I see Jace step into my line of vision. "Come on Clary. We're heading upstairs. Your mum and Luke want to speak to him."

The four of us walk down the hallway in silence. Mum and Luke tell us to wait for a minute before we come up. They say that they're sending the others down and that they'll tell us when they want us to come back up. We nod silently and then wander into the living room. As I sit down I realise that this may be the first and last time I spend any time in this room.

When when Isabelle and Simon come in not long after us, they have Maryse with them. "I'm going to go back home now ok?" She tells Jace who just nods without even looking, his gaze fixed on the door at the top of the stairs, trying to make out the murmurs drifting down. She sighs, hugs Isabelle, smiles at me and then leaves.

Then the yelling starts. Horrible screeching and shouting. I shudder and I see everyone else do the same. I twitch as if I might go up there and see what's going on but then Jace is there. He wraps his arm around me and quietly reminds me that they both asked me to stay here. I nod against his shoulder but can't help the next twitch I make when and even louder bellow comes from above.

It's almost an hour of yelling and shouting before Luke comes downstairs. He arrives in the room to see us huddled together. All four of us. He looks at me. "Clary your parents would like for you to come and join the discussion now. I move to stand but Jace doesn't remove his arm. I frown at him but he ignores me looking at Luke.

"Why do they need her up there?" I see Simon glare at Jace and open his mouth but Luke answers before Simon can say whatever he wanted to say. "They're making their final statements and decisions. They want their daughter there for that." Jace nods. This time when I stand up, Jace moves with me. I look at him. "You do know that you have to let go for me to be able to go upstairs right?"

He pulls a face and finally lets go but I miss the feeling of protection and safety that his arm gave me. Before I can get much more than a step away Simon has grabbed me and is telling me that it'll all be fine. I give him a weak smile and nod at him as if I believe it. The truth is that no matter what, it'll be very very hard to get a happy ending out of this situation.

As soon as I pass Luke he starts following me and together we walk upstairs. Before I can open the door, I turn back and look at him. A week ago, I didn't even know this man existed. A few days ago I hated him. Yesterday we had the worlds best paint fight together. I hardly know him but I'm sad at the thought of leaving. He smiles sadly at me and then indicates that I should open the door.

As I turn the doorknob I hear the faint sounds of people talking on the other side of the door before I can detect what they're saying, the door starts to open with a loud creaking noise. The voices stop and my Mum finishes opening the door. She gestures for me to come inside.

When I step inside I see that my father has set himself up by the window and is scowling out at the beautiful skyline. He doesn't turn, even when Luke follows and he has a muttered discussion with Mum.

After a few minutes of this Valentine clears his throat loudly and they look up. All of them glaring.

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 **A/N: Please review! I love to hear what you think of my writing and what you do and don't like. If there's anything that you want to ask about either PM me or write it in the comments. I'll do my best to fix or improve anything you think needs work. I can only make it better with your help! ;) :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi! All the comments asking for more story sooner got me off my bum and into their world. I hope this is good enough for you and that I haven't made any mistakes. I think it's all relatively accurate. If you like it, hate it or can tell me how to improve it, leave me a review please! I can only improve with you helping me! These enchanting characters belong to Cassandra Clare.**

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 _After a few minutes of this Valentine clears his throat loudly and they look up. All of them are glaring_.

I take a step back but Mum sees this and beckons me forward again. I slowly walk back over to her and stop when I'm almost hidden behind her and Luke. They both sigh but start talking anyway.

It's Luke who starts. "Valentine, I'm still quite unclear as to which part of Jocelyn's departure you don't understand." Dad just looks stonily at him. "I'm here to take my wife and daughter home." Luke looks at him. "Do you not understand that Jocelyn wants to be here? I didn't steal her away. None of this was my idea. I wasn't unwilling to have the woman I love living with me but she came here on her own."

Valentine doesn't even blink. "What about Clary? Did she get any say in this? She wouldn't have wanted to live with a stranger." How can he understand this but not that Mum left of her own free will? Before mum starts talking I say, "Mum told me to come, I didn't want to but I came. I was upset about it all but I was never unhappy."

He stares at me then says the most ridiculous and contradictory thing that I have ever heard. "You're just a child Clarissa. This isn't about you." All three of us look at him in shock. Mum doesn't get much further than, "Clary," before Luke cuts over her. "For gods sake Valentine! She's your daughter! She is a person! Not a bargaining chip for you to use!"

Valentine looks him over dismissively. "As you said, she is my daughter. I shall treat her and use her as I see fit. You are not a member of this family and therefore have no right to judge my family or my methods." Then he turns away again.

I have never seen my father like this before. He had always been cold and withdrawn, occasionally even dismissive towards me but this is something else. This is a whole new level of cold and cruel that I had never seen, a level that almost scares me.

My mother makes a horrified gasp. Before she can talk my father says, "I have reached my final decision." The three of us look at him. "I have decided that it is in the best interests for all of us if I take the two of you home." All hell breaks loose at that. Mum and Luke start yelling and shouting and it doesn't take long for Valentine to join in. Two days ago I wanted to go home. I wanted to go back to the normal boring life that I shared with millions of other teenagers like me. A life of friends and high school and a full complete family.

I'd always pitied kids who had an unusual family. In that moment though, I realised something. Just because it's whole, doesn't make it happy. Just because it's broken doesn't make it sad. I saw how the two paths could go from here. On one hand, my father would win. He would drag me and my mum back to our old apartment and have his happily ever after. While he would be happy, me and my mum would be upset and angry.

On the other hand, Mum and Luke would win. Valentine would be kicked out of the house. We would probably end up blowing a lot of money on a court battle if he tried any more stunts like this. We would be a broken family. A mother and a daughter living with a kind man who wasn't her father or husband but we would be happier.

I quietly whisper this realisation to myself. "I'm happy here." I mumble. Then raising my voice I say as calmly as I can, "I'm not going. I won't leave." I think of the new friends I've already made here. I try to picture a day not spent listening to Jace and Isabelle bickering in that way that only siblings can, but I can't. I've found a place where I am happy.

Despite the low tone of my voice, all three adults turn to me. Valentine looks shocked and angry. Luke looks like he just won a prize of some kind and my mother looks proud. I'm finally standing up for myself. For years people have walked all over me. I've never been bullied exactly, but I was never popular either. Now, I've made my stand.

"Listen here you ungrateful child," Valentine snarls, but then I have an unexpected saviour. Luke. Again this man who I barely know, comes to my aid. "Don't talk to her like that! She is a kindhearted girl who does not need or deserve that. Aside from that, remember that you are a guest in MY house and that I am legally allowed to ask you to leave should I choose to and you have to obey or the police will get involved."

"Clary is a guest in my house and I will not have anyone spoken to that way on my property. If you don't calm down I will call in the police. I'm sure they would love to greet an old friend." I looks at my father. Had he been prosecuted before? How did I not know this? How did Luke know this?

Then my father responds. "Oh Luke. Your petty threats don't fool me. Your bluff has been called. And besides we all know that I was cleared of those 'accusations' years ago." We all know? Is it possible that Valentine and Luke know each other? Or at least did?

"You didn't tell me you were friendly with Maryse again darling." Dad says turning to mum. She looks at him in surprise. "You didn't know? It seems the gang is reuniting. Maryse, her husband Robert and their four?" He asks this is in a questioning tone, as if looking for confirmation, "live just next door. Didn't you recognise that girl. Isabelle was it? She looks exactly as Maryse did the last day I saw her. Maybe a few years younger." Valentine knew Isabelle's parents? Mum knew Isabelle's parents? I'm starting to get a headache.

"I, saw a - resemblance." My mother says haltingly. "I guessed but I didn't know for sure." He snorts disbelievingly. "You knew. You just didn't want to believe it. A piece of your last that you try to hide, that you try to forget, just as you run from the only happiness you've ever truly known."

I look at each of them in turn. Then Valentine says. "But Luke, you must have know. You've been living here for your whole miserable adulthood haven't you? Sold us out and then ran for it." Luke sold my father out when they were younger? Was that why he was arrested then?

"This is all ridiculous. It has nothing at all to do with why you're still here Valentine." He smirks. "Of but it does. Don't you remember the first time? Do you remember how that one ended?" Both Luke and my mother blanch. "What.." "No Clary. It doesn't matter." Valentine's smirk gets wider. "What? You don't want to tell her? It has everything to do with you anyway. Besides, when it all starts up again, I need an heir to my empire."

Empire? What's he talking about?! I look to my mother but she is sending begging looks at Dad to stop. "You see Clary," he begins, "This whole story actually started a very long time ago indeed. Your mother and Luke were childhood best friends." I flinch in shock. Really? Had they honestly known each other for that long?

"Then when they became high school aged they ended up at the same boarding school as me. You know Clarissa, the only reason I didn't send your useless self off to boarding school is because I know the dark underside. I was the dark underside in the end. Or so everybody claimed anyway.

"Alicante boarding school was the best in the country. It only took on the brightest and the best. That meant that many quickly feel behind if it turned out they had fluked their entrance exam. Luke was one of those children. Your mother and I on the other hand, were some of the best in our respective year levels. Possibly even in the whole school.

"It isn't hard to get a teacher to believe your lie when you're their favourite student. When you're the best amongst your peers, it's not all that hard to gain respect. To gain followers.

"I tutored Luke in school. The wimpy boy who was a year younger and was quickly falling behind. I made sure he passed all of his classes. We very quickly became good friends. After all we were spending all our downtime together, just so that he could stay enrolled. Through him, I met your mother.

"Bright and beautiful, a rare gem. She loved how kind I was to her friend. We fell in love quickly. Luke was in love with her too you know, even way back then. But she had me and he didn't mind. He loved how happy I made her. But, he wasn't the only one I was 'tutoring'. Robert Lightwood and his little girlfriend Maryse Trueblood were among many others.

"By the end of my senior year I had half the school following me. Under my instruction the band of misfits became the jewels of the school. I had also imparted some of my most base values on them. I taught them about superiority.

"Your mother and I were married straight out of high school. Everyone said that we were a match made in heaven. Two young, successful students who were clearly meant to be. By the time I was twenty, I was the leader of the most feared gang since the Klu Klux Klan." At this I gasp and my father smiles like a snake.

"And my most treasured second in command was Luke. All the kids I'd helped in high school came and joined. However as the work piled up and people started to become suspicious about me, I neglected your mother. Behind my back she went and fell in love with my closest friend a man I counted as a brother. Luke.

The two of them convinced themselves that what we were doing was wrong. That it was evil. They were stuck however and didn't know what to do. They decided to hand me over to the police.

"Their plan was simple. They would go to the nearest police station and leave an anonymous tip about me. About my plans and who all the members were. Then they would run off and live happily ever after. But then there was a glitch. She found out that she was pregnant with you Clarissa. She decided that she didn't want to put herself in danger when she was carrying the child she had always wanted. In the end, Luke convinced her that her child wouldn't be safe with me still at large.

"They left their anonymous tip and then they fled. The only hitch to their plan was that I'd heard them discussing their plans. The police caught me but they could find insubstantial evidence to hold me for more than a month. And then I found them and brought her back.

"We were happy. Your mother and I. You were born and you were just what she'd hoped for. A bright happy baby who from a young age showed proficiency in art, your mothers favourite pastime. I tolerated you and kept you happy so that I could keep your mother. The gang was split up for secrecy reasons but I would bring them back together.

Then Jocelyn heard about my plans and reached out to Luke again. During all their plotting sessions they fell in love again. Maybe there is something romantic about plotting to turn your husband over to the police. It worked two times from two times after all. And now here we are."

I look at my mother. I thought that I knew her. That I knew my father. I even thought that I was getting a fair sense of who Luke was. While under the surface, this whole time, they had been completely different people.

"So that Clary is how it went the first time and that is how it is going to got his time too. Pack your things the both of you. I'll be our side waiting. And be quick now I'm a busy man and I have a gang to bring back to power." At this his strolls from the room.

I look at the two remaining adults, my chest filled with panic. I don't want to go back. He's planning to resurrect an old gang that used to be the most feared?! I can't do this. And then the thought that my gentle, artistic mother was there from the start and that this kind, scholarly man was his best friend. I shudder. They both see it and both of them move to comfort me. I dart out of their reach and sprint into my bathroom and lock the door.

I can hear both of them calling to me from the other side but I ignore them. Inside a week so much has changed and now I'm stranded. I don't know what to do. Twice in a week I have found myself bawling my eyes out in a bathroom. The main difference is the reason. The first time was at the thought of leaving home. This time is about that two but now home is a very different place.

Finally they stop calling for me and they must leave the room. The last thing either of them says to me is when Luke tells me quietly but with determination in his tone. "I'm going to go and call the police now. I'm going to help you and your mother file for a restraining order as soon as possible as well ok?" Then he leaves.

I'm not sure how long I sit with my back pressed against the door but through the long window above the toilet that the light is fading into an orange that no artist could ever properly capture. I'm about to stand on the toilet to get a better look when I feel the vibrations of someone knocking on the door resonating through my body.

"Clary? It's Jace. Could you let me in?" I slump even harder against the door. This seems to panic him. "Clary! Are you alright? Either answer me or let me in before me and rat face break down the door. It takes me a minute to figure out who he's talking about.

"Hey!" I yell "Don't say that about him" I hear a sigh of relief followed by a gentle laugh that I can only describe as enchanting. "I knew that if you were alive you would respond to that. Now games over let me in. I don't even need his help to break the door down."

I groan at the bravado in his tone but open the door for him.

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 **A/N: Please leave me a review! I really want to improve my writing and make as many of you as possible as happy as possible. You can help me do this by just typing out a couple of words. Please review! ;) :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! Again the chapter isn't really long but I hope you like it. More action, I hope that you don't think it's too soon and a nice cliffhanger at the end. Please review for me! I love hearing what you all think of my work. These characters belong to Cassandra Clare.**

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 _I groan at the bravado in his tone but open the door for him._

As soon as he hears the lock open, he pushes his way in. I am barely able to avoid having the door run over my toes. I yelp slightly as I leap out of the way. Once he's inside, he turns around and closes the door. He reaches for the lock but then turns to check with me before he turns it. I just nod tiredly and sit down again. I hear the sound of the lock and then Jace is sitting beside me.

I look over at him. "He's gone." That's all he says. That one simple sentence. I smile at him appreciatively. I like how he doesn't tell me Valentine is not coming back and that he doesn't over complicate the sentence. That's all it needed to be. "They're really worried you know. You've been in here for close to five hours." I stare at him. He can't be serious. I can't have been here that long. My thoughts must be clear on my face because he says, "You have." Or maybe I said it out loud. I blush and turn back to the little window.

The sun sets so quickly. Just a few minutes ago the sky was a bright, vibrant orange, almost glowing with the colour. Now the sky is a dusky purple. Only hints of the hues from before remaining. The room is getting dark as well but neither of us moves to turn on a light. We both just sit and stare.

"Simon was very upset that no one would let him come up to see you. He went home quite abruptly just before. Strangely, it also coincided with my decision to come and see you myself and your mother and Luke's decision to let me." I look at him in outrage. He hasn't been teasing Simon has he?

"I didn't do anything on purpose. He's just so funny to tease. Also Isabelle just went home. However she promised that she's coming back over tomorrow. She thinks she's cracked the code to make you happy. Why she thinks that I don't know. She's only known you for a few days." I give him a look and he shrugs. "I don't know what she has planned. I only know what she told me."

The room is fully dark now. My stomach growls. I'm starving. Jace laughs at the sound. "Yeah that's another reason they decided to let someone finally come up. They thought you would be starving." I nod in agreement. I am very hungry after all. No point hiding it or he may not feed me.

"However," he says and I groan. Why does there have to be a but? Buts are mean. "Their condition was that you came downstairs to eat. They said that they'd leave you alone if that's what you wanted, but that you had to come out." How dare they! Tempting me to come out with food. Using my weaknesses against me like that!

I make a grumbling noise but don't object when Jace stands up and pulls me with him. I step out side and sigh. Right. In all the Valentine fuss earlier we didn't finish my room, which means I'll need to spend time tomorrow sorting it out as well. My friends must love me. Jace doesn't react to my sigh, he just keeps pulling me towards the door.

I walk slowly down the stairs as Jace tugs on my hand, trying to make me move faster. After almost five minutes of walking down the small flight of stairs he turns to me. "Hurry up! I haven't eaten recently either you know!" While his words are harsh, his face and voice are playful so I don't take him too seriously, but I do start to walk a bit quicker.

By the time we reach the kitchen, we've been out of the bathroom for close to ten minutes. We walk in, keeping a slow and steady pace. One similar to that of a very old snail. We crawl in and come to a stop just inside the door. Mum and Luke smile at me and gesture that we should sit at the table.

I'm regaining speed as I move towards the table and the smell of food. But then I realise Jace isn't moving. "Um. I think I'm going to head back home now. Seems like it's all good here." I give him a funny look. "Don't you want dinner?" He frowns. "I'm sure my mother is capable of feeding me. She has been doing it for quite a few years now." I roll my eyes. "Don't you want to have dinner here is what I meant and you know it." He blinks at me then nods slowly. I roll my eyes again and then move over to sit down.

When we finish eating, Jace turns to me. "Do you want me to help you finish setting up your room? That way you'll have a clear schedule for whatever crazy ideas and activities Isabelle has planned to try and make you feel better. On a side note, a word of caution. If any of her crazy plans involve cooking or eating food she has cooked, turn her down! Agreeing may be the last thing you do."

He must understand the questioning look in my face because he explains "Isabelle is a terrible cook. She won't try to poison you but it may occur accidentally. She has been banned from the kitchen in our house and at most of her friends houses too. The worst part is she likes what she makes most of the time so beware!"

I giggle a bit at the hyperbole in his tone but file this information away for later. "If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate some help finishing. I was worried you might all start to hate me if you had to spend another day working on my room." I ask Mum and Luke if they want to help too but they say they have to turn me down.

"I'm sorry sweetheart but I'm just so tired. Today really wore me out." I nod. I look at Luke and receive a similar response. "No I think I'll pass. Besides you don't really want my old boring influence invading your teenage haven do you?" He teases. I laugh and nod but I honestly wouldn't mind his influence in there. There is something about him that's calming. A quality that I can't quite explain, but it's there.

It's after ten by the time Jace and I finish up the room. With the sea green walls and the foamy white curtains, I feel like I could be in Atlantis. The soft dove grey bedcovers make it look like a rock plopped down in the middle of the city and the dark wood of floor and doors look like that of a shipwreck. The photos and sketches on the walls give it all a homey feel. A personal feel. Makes it feel like mine. I love it.

Jace looks pretty pleased with himself as well, even though he won't admit that he likes it. He keeps calling it girly with a smirk on his face. I bet he has bedroom just like this and that's why he won't admit he likes it. I tell him this as he collapses the last cardboard box and he laughs. "No Clary. My room is nothing like this. Nothing at all." I frown at that but I'm quickly distracted again when he admits that he likes the finished product.

"Ha! I knew it I knew it! How could you hate a room fit for Ariel?" He looks at me blankly. "Who's Ariel?" Now it's my turn to stare blankly. "How do you not know who Ariel is? You have a sister!" He chuckles. "Despite appearances, Izzy has never had much time for watching girly things, she's too busy doing them." I laugh at that. When he presses me to tell him who Ariel is I just tell him to ask Isabelle.

Half an hour later, after Jace has left, I walk back downstairs to the spare room, looking for my pyjamas. Just as I find them, a light flicks on in the house next door. I glance up reflexively and see a bedroom. A bed, a cupboard and a chest of draws, all of it simple. Then I see the boy standing in it. Jace. I think back to the other night and make a soft gasping noise when I realise it must have been Jace I could see. Blushing, I turn and head back upstairs, away from the his light.

I'm woken the next morning by pounding on my door. Again. Muttering a string of curses I stumble my way over to the door and yank it open. I'm still trying to clear enough sleep from my eyes to see who I hear my mother start talking. "Luke and I are about to head off to work and I thought you might want to know. Also Isabelle just left a message. She wants you to know she's on her way over soon and that you should dress casually formal." I groan. Great.

"Ok thanks mum." I mumble, finally clearing my eyes enough to see. "I'll get dressed and head down." "Good girl." She kisses my head and then leaves. I'm just on my way over to my wardrobe when I hear tapping at the door. "Hi." Luke says. "I just wanted to say goodbye and tell you that you should feel free to call me, if you ever need to." I nod at. At the man who protected me and my mother from my crazy father, before I was even born and then again yesterday. I can't help the rush of gratitude that propels me across the room.

I've wrapped my arms around him in a hug before I can even think about what I'm doing. I'm about to pull away when he surfaces from his shock and wraps his arms around me too.

Twenty minutes later I'm sitting downstairs, eating a nutritious breakfast of microwave croissants drenched in a thick coating of Nutella. Eating food like this is always a messy and sticky affair and by the time I'm finished, I have chocolate spread right across my face. Sighing happily, I wander down the hall to the bathroom where I wash it all off. Or as much as I can see anyway.

I'm halfway back to the kitchen when I realise that I forgot to brush my teeth. I almost skip up the stairs. A distant part of my brain recognises that this sudden surge of euphoria is due to all the sugar I just ate but the rest of me is so happy I easily ignore it.

At the top of the stairs I pause. Was that a noise? I could have sworn I heard a noise. Coming from the kitchen. I shake my head. I'm just being silly. Who else would be in here? Only three people have keys. I'm in here and if it was mum or Luke they would have called out to make sure I was up when they didn't see me in the kitchen. I must be imagining things now, I tell myself as I open the door and cross the room.

I manage to waste a full hour in the bathroom. I'm not usually the type of girl to waste a morning primping but I'm still waiting to hear the doorbell, or even better the phone, bearing news from Isabelle. But it never comes. It's just after eleven when I meander back downstairs. I pause in the hallway to check the message bank in case I didn't hear the phone but the only message there is from Isabelle two hours ago, saying she's about to head over.

My nerves are already slightly rattled when I reach the kitchen, only to see that the back door is open.

I stumble backwards and bump into a chair, then almost trip over again when I try to right myself. In seconds I'm back down the hallway and dialling the phone. "Pick up! Pick up!" I mutter. Finally I hear a voice at the other end of the line. "Garroway Books, Luke speaking." I feel like crying with relief. "Luke!" "Clary? What is it? What's wrong?! Shouldn't you be with Isabelle?" I whimper softly. "I was heading upstairs an hour or so ago because she still wasn't here and I thought I heard a noise. Then Isabelle never called so I went to check the messages in case I just hadn't heard it. Then I was thirsty, so I went into the kitchen and the backdoor is open. I did not leave it like that."

I hear a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. "Ok Clary just hold on. I'm just going to ask a friend to call the police ok?" I nod and then answer. "Yes Luke." I stand in the hallway shivering listening to Luke speaking urgently on the other end, instructing someone on the situation and telling them about what happened yesterday with my father.

"Ok Clary they just dispatched some officers. What I want you to do is go next door and check on Isabelle. Maryse will protect you until the police arrive. Call me as soon as you get there." I quickly hang up. I run as quietly as I can to the front door and rush out onto the footpath. I sprint to Jace's house and pound on the door. Unfortunately, it's Alec that answers.

His eyes widen a bit upon seeing me. "Aren't you supposed to be with Isabelle?" I stare at him in horror. "You mean she isn't here!?" He nods slowly, a strange look spreading across his face.

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 **A/N: I am so grateful to every single review. No matter what you say. I see a review pop up and I get a silly smile on my face before I even open it. Please make my day and leave me a review! It doesn't have to be an essay, just leave me a few words telling me what you think. Thank you! ;) :D X)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! I'm sorry it's been such a long wait, but I just got caught up in school and friends and whatever. I know that was a mean cliffhanger but I've cleaned things up a bit, and I think this chapter is better edited than some of the others. Anyway, let me know what you thing with a review! Doesn't have to be long, just enough that I know you're there.**

 **These characters all belong to Cassandra Clare**

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 _I sprint to Jace's house and pound on the door. Unfortunately, it's Alec that eyes widen a bit upon seeing me. "Aren't you supposed to be with Isabelle?" I stare at him in horror. "You mean she isn't here!?" He nods slowly, a strange look spreading across his face._

I push past him and dash into the house. "Hey!" Alec calls after me, but I'm already gone, frantically searching for a phone. I open the first door I come to and luckily enough it's a study. Sitting on the corner of the desk is a phone. I snatch it up and dial.

This time Luke answers on the first ring. "Is she alright?" I'm sobbing so hard that I can barely get all the words out. "No. Her brother says that she left over an hour ago to come get me!" "Calm down Clary calm down. I need you to repeat what you just said a little bit slower." Shuddering with fear at all the time Isabelle lost while I was pottering around in the bathroom, I repeat everything as clearly as I can. "Was it Jace are Alec that said that?" "Alec." I hear a sigh. "Find Jace. He'll help you. I've told the police where you are. Now I'm going to have to tell them it appears a young girl has been kidnapped." Then the line goes dead.

I run out of the office and straight into Jace, literally. "Alec told me you were here. What's wrong? Where's Isabelle?" I recount the tale of this morning to him right down to the second as quickly as I can, ever conscious of the time we are wasting. By the end his golden face is faded and pale. "Ok we need to find Maryse." I'm so stressed and strung out, that I barely register that he doesn't call her Mum like the other kids do. Thinking about the other kids sends me into another nervous fit about Isabelle and I soon forget about it entirely.

It's then that I notice just how big this house is. I swear it doesn't look this big from the outside. It takes us ten minutes just to make it to the kitchen. And it's not because we were doing snail walking like we were last night. This is at a quick pace set by long legged Jace. When we finally find Maryse, the police knock at the door, before we can even explain the situation.

Jace goes to answer the door, leaving me to explain this situation to Maryse. The news registers with her just as the police walk into the kitchen. The officers arrive just in time to watch her face crumple like paper, just in time to see a woman fall to pieces as she realises her only daughter has been kidnapped.

Jace does his best to comfort Maryse, but she's inconsolable. For the fourth time that morning, I recount my story, doing my best not to burst into to tears. This needs to be about Isabelle. No one can afford to waste any time worrying about me, and I know that Jace would, even though his family needs him just as much-more in fact.

When I get to the part when I was upstairs, blissfully playing dress up and doing my make up, make up I now realise must be absolutely streaking down my face at this point, I struggle not to feel like these men are judging me. If only I was paying attention, if only I was waiting downstairs rather than upstairs, maybe Isabelle wouldn't have been taken.

They listen to my story with almost blank faces. Then they ask if we have any ideas of who it could be. Anyone who we know of that doesn't like Isabelle. Then I realise that they need me to recount what happened yesterday. Despite the fact that this is the only hope we have of getting her back, I can't do it. I can't go back over that day, my mind still trying to process the awful details that came to light.

Thankfully I don't need to. Before I can open my mouth to react at all, to answer or to cry, Maryse speaks. "Valentine Morgenstern" As the officers turn their attention to her I break into tears again.

The officers gently prod her with careful questions, trying to coax any kind of answer out of her but she has retreated into a world of grief where she can't be reached. She isn't even crying, or moving. She's just turned to stone. Just as the officers start to turn back to me, Jace speaks up.

I start, almost having forgotten that he was there. Normally he is such a large, vibrant presence but shock and fear have dimmed him. Like the light shining within him has almost flickered out. "He's Clary's father."

Jace tells them as much of the story as he knows, but he wasn't there for everything and he knows nothing of what happened at home, before we came here. It's quite possible his parents haven't told him about the fact that they were friends with Valentine in their youth. Part of his disturbing club. I wouldn't be bragging about it either.

So I'm called upon to fill in the gaps. At this point I can't keep my fear at bay anymore and I sink into tears as I go over everything Jace left out. At some point during my recount, Jace leaves his mother's side and comes to stand next to me, seeing that at this moment I need comfort, maybe more than I ever have before.

He doesn't say anything, but stands right beside me with his arm slung around me, holding me protectively to his side. I don't know what it is but there is just something about Jace that is so calming. He doesn't need to say or do anything but be there and I calm down. A few days ago I had never even met this boy and now he's the only thing keeping me sane in this world, this world that is rapidly falling to pieces.

Everything that I'd ever known had been shaken up a few days ago, and then the life I had started building was shattered again, in the harshest ways possible, and here I was telling this story, my life story, to perfect strangers, in the hope of getting my kidnapped friend back from my father-her kidnapper.

They don't speak, not even to ask questions as I talk, only writing down notes in their little notebooks. When I finish they just sit there, and I bristle with anger and impatience. One of my only friends, a girl who is endlessly kind hearted-who welcomed a perfect stranger into her heart with open arms-is out there, in the clutches of my crazy father, and they're just sitting there.

I'm about to start yelling but, almost as if he anticipates this, Jace tightens his arm around me and says very slowly and clearly, as if he too is very angry but is trying to hide it, "Well? What happens now?"

"Now we look." the older one of the two says. "Do you have a home address? It's unlikely that that's where he will be and even less likely that that's where the girl-your friend-will be, but we need somewhere to start.

I automatically rattle off my old address hardly even thinking. I lived there for the best part of 16 years, and now it means nothing to me, nothing but pain and fear. In my mind it has transformed from a cheery family home into a hideous lair, where my father may be hiding an innocent young girl.

The men explain that normally people have to missing more than 24 hours for the police to step in but considering her age and the situation going on around us, they will start looking immediately.

"You did everything perfectly." They assure me, like they can see the guilt that bends my shoulders under its weight. "You contacted the police straight away, and immediately went to a more secure location, with people who you trust." I nod but don't really believe it.

If I'd done everything right I would have checked the kitchen when I though I heard a noise in the beginning. If I'd done everything right Isabelle would be standing here giving a statement too. Explaining how Valentine almost, but not quite, got her.

Fighting back tears, I watch the officers leave the kitchen-Jace, reluctantly, letting go of me to lead them back to the front door. As they walk out I see Alec hiding in the shadows of the doorway. From the look of frightened anger on his face I know he heard everything, or at least most of it.

He walks in and goes straight to Maryse. "Mum, Mum! Can you even hear me? Mum can you please respond? Your other kids need you too! Think about Max! Think about Isabelle! You doing this isn't helping anyone!" He continues trying to draw her out but she is totally unresponsive, still not crying, not even blinking as her first born pleads with her, just staring off looking-at nothing.

Just as I'm starting to worry, Jace walks back into the kitchen with Luke trailing along behind him. Without stopping or thinking, I run over and force my way into Luke's arms, burrowing into his big warm coat.

Immediately I feel calmer. Not as calm as when Jace holds me but calm. I can tell that having me in his arms has calmed him down some too because I can feel his tense muscles loosen slightly and feel him exhale a heavy breath in my hair.

I move to pull away but he doesn't let go so I just stay there, locked in the arms of a man who I barely know, waiting for something, but I'm not sure what. All I know I'm that moment is that he was worried about me, he barely knows me and yet he was worried about me.

Finally he pulls back and tells me that he's called my mother and that she's on her way also. Then he turns and walks over to Maryse, joining Alec in his quest to make her rejoin our world, to respond at all.

As soon as Luke is gone, Jace steps into his place, standing no more than a foot away. We stand there looking at each other neither of us quite sure what to do. We've done everything we came do, but how do we just stand here and wait? Not knowing what's going on.

I wish he would hold me again but I don't ask. He's going through his own issues right now, I mean his sister has been kidnapped! Plus I also know that if he wanted to comfort me he would. No amount of pushing would stop him from keeping me in his protective embrace.

So I just stand there and stare at him, while he stares at me in return, the murmurs of Luke slowly cutting of the arguments and anger of Alec.

We are finally roused from our stare off, by the arrival of my mother. She comes dashing into the kitchen and comes straight over to me, like no one else is in the room, like I'm her top priority in the world. And that feels nice. Usually something else has to come first. I can understand that. It's can't be easy dealing with a husband like Valentine, a child, a full time job and a secret boyfriend.

I'm never neglected, but I can't remember the last time her eyes sought me out so frantically and she hugged me so fiercely. You'd think I was the one who had been kidnapped and just returned, rather than the girl who failed to notice a kidnapping going on right under her nose.

Jace steps out of her way, but doesn't go far, almost like he's afraid to leave me. That's crazy though. He hardly knows me. And yet at the same time he knows just as much about my life and my family as I do.

As soon as my mother has determined that nothing is wrong with me, she also joins Alec and Luke, but not to help Maryse. No my mother pulls Luke aside and just holds him, the same as she did to me, the two of them frantically whispering to each other the whole time.

The instant the space near me is clear again Jace steps back into it. The way he's hovering around me is almost protective. This time he isn't looking at me, at anything in particular really. He's just looking around, looking for danger that isn't there, just trying to feel effective.

"Are you ok?" His low voice breaks through my day dreams. I'd been staring at Mum and Luke, watching their quite reunion and assessment of each other. I glance towards where I thought Jace was only to be met with a pair of eyes that are much closer than they were before.

I blink in shock and he repeats his question, thinking I didn't hear properly. "Clary, are you ok?" His face is almost feverish as he asks the question, like its vitally important to him. I nod and stare at him.

"Are you?" I ask in return. There is no possible way that he is ok. He just found out some ugly stuff about his parents, just after he found out that his sister had been kidnapped by his new neighbour's possessive and abusive father, as a form of revenge.

He nods, but doesn't take his eyes off me. Then slowly, as if not to frighten an animal, he twines his fingers tightly through mine. Never taking his eyes off mine, he slowly pulls me towards the chairs and table in the middle of the kitchen, using his spare hand to pull out to chairs, one for me and one for him, and slowly sits down, dragging me into the one next to him,

And so we wait.

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 **A/N: Hey guys, I'd really love it if you could chuck me a review. I really like knowing that you like it (or if you have constructive criticism that's great too). Also tell me if you think I should continue with the story. It's lots of fun to write, but if you readers don't like it... Anyway let me know in the comments or with a PM**

 **FeelsGirl18 XOXO**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, I'm sorry, I know it's been almost a year since I last posted and that most of you readers have probably given up or don't care anymore but, I promise it has been a truly crazy year, not that that is really an excuse. As suggested, I did try to work on my grammar and spelling and I think it is a bit more accurate this time, but I said that last time so see what you think. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the update, even though I am sure it was not worth the wait. Let me know that you guys still care or if you have an opinion with a review or a PM.**

 **All these characters belong to Cassandra Clare**

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 _And so we wait._

It seems like we sit there for hours waiting for something, anything, to happen. Part of me knows that it can't be more than a few minutes, but to my stressed mind, it feels like a small eternity.

Then, Max comes downstairs. "Mum! Mum! Where are you! I need your help with...?" He stops as he comes into the kitchen seeing the scene in front of him, people he doesn't know, the distraught looks on everyone's faces.

"Mum? What's going on?"

Maryse still doesn't look up.

Alec sighs and moves towards him, "Max,"

"Jace!" Max says running over. "Please tell me what's going on. Who are these people, where's Izzy? I've been looking for her for ages... What's wrong with Mum?" So many questions and none of them easy to answer.

"Max, this is Clary, her and her Mum just moved in next door with Luke."

"Oh, ok. What's wrong with Mum?" At this Jace looks so upset that I speak up, just to give him a break for a moment, to compose some kind of answer to that question, and the many, even harder questions, that are sure to follow.

"Hey Max, I'm Clary and, like Jace just said, me and my mum moved in next door with Luke. It's nice to finally meet you, Jace and Izzy have been telling me all about you." I say all this with a forced joviality that makes me want to cry even more.

How is it that my lack of thought has ended with this little boy about to have a breakdown when he realizes that his sister is missing. Why did I choose today to be girly? Why didn't I see this coming? Why didn't I just walk the ten metres back into the kitchen when I heard a noise instead of pretending I hadn't heard anything?

At the sound of her youngest child's voice, Maryse stirs, the fog clearing from behind her eyes, her arms reaching out and beckoning Max towards her. The scared child rushes into his mother's arms and begins repeating all his frantic questions.

With a cracking voice, Maryse begins to explain the situation to Max. Unable to handle the sadness in this room and choking on what feels like a solid rock of guilt, I turn to Jace.

"Is there a bathroom or something in here?"

He looks at me blankly for a second before the words seems to get through to him.

"Right, yeah, toilet. Um, follow me." he forces out, before standing and using our linked hands to draw me along after him.

"Where are you going?" I hear my mother's stressed voice ask.

"Just to the bathroom, don't worry." I say without even thinking. Then I blush when I realise what I just said and who I said it in front of.

I just said don't worry to my mother, who's house was just broken into while her only child was inside. And then there's Maryse and Alec, who's daughter and sister was just snatched from my house, metres away from their own home, when I should have been paying attention. Great.

I think I have foot-in-mouth disease, a nice yet cruel twist on the actual foot and mouth disease, as I always seem to be putting my foot in it.

Burying my face in Jace's arm, I pretend that I never said anything at all, while simultaneously wishing that I was never born.

When this doesn't seem to be working for me, I sigh and open my eyes again. Yep, everyone's still looking at me in shock.

"Sorry," I whisper, still holding out a faint hope that this is just a bad dream and that soon I will wake up in my Ariel room with this day only beginning. "I didn't think."

Luke just smiles sadly at me, and Jace takes this as his cue to leave, continuing to walk across the kitchen towards another door to yet another winding corridor.

"I can't believe I just said that." I whisper, feeling so stupid and upset for not thinking before I spoke. That had always been a problem of mine but I doubt it had ever had such embarrassing consequences.

"Don't worry about it. Maryse will get over it, I doubt she was even listening. As for your mother, she was probably just concerned that she'd birthed a bit of an idiot."

I laugh a little bit at his lame joke and pretend to be indignant, but I really don't mind. He's trying to make me laugh and that fact means the world to me right now.

"I know this may not seem to be the right time to say this, but I did ask Isabelle about the Ariel reference."

I blink, a little bit shocked that he even remembered what I'd said by the time he got home, let alone cared enough about what I was talking about to actually ask. But then again, maybe I'm reading too much into it and it has nothing to do with me. I mean, Jace doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who is happy to go on with his life knowing that there is someone who knows something he doesn't.

"And?" I question, prodding him to finish, refusing to let him feel awkward about trying to break the tension.

"And, she said that she was a mermaid in a Disney movie. But she said that Ariel lived in a gold palace, so your reference wasn't really that accurate."

I snort and roll my eyes a bit, my competitive streak getting the better of my guilt and fear for a moment.

"Yeah right Jace, you've got no clue what you're talking about. If you don't stop insulting me and my knowledge right now, I am going to make you watch The Little Mermaid and I'm warning you now, it's a cartoon Disney musical."

He pretends to shudder.

"All right, I concede. However, no time spent with you is time wasted or time lost." He declares in a comedic tone.

"I'm sure it isn't good sir." I joke back as we finally reach the bathroom.

I'm about to open the door when I freeze. I really don't want to go in there. I don't want to be alone and I know that when I go in I'll start drowning in guilt again.

"Hurry up Clary, we should get back to the kitchen."

I give him a look that he quickly returns.

"You have to go in. You can't magically go to the toilet just by looking at it. Nothing's going to happen ok? The police are next door, our families are in the kitchen and I'm right here. If you're worried, don't lock the door, that way you can make a speedy exit and I promise I won't let anyone in."

I look him over and agree that he's right. I mean I really do need to go to the toilet, and what can happen when he is right outside the door?

"Fine, you're right. But I'm locking the door."

Jace just rolls his eyes and leans against the wall opposie the door to wait for me.

With a huff, I try to push the sick feeling in my stomach to the side, and I open the door.

Before I do anything else, I flick on the light switch and stand outside to do a cursory check of the room before I step in. Once inside, I do a second, more thorough, check of the room before I close the door.

As the door closes, I hear a sort of strangled noise from Jace and my eyes shoot up just in time to see him scrunch his face up with laughter before the door closes.

Pretending that I'm not afraid, I go about my business and take a few calming breaths to settle myself before I open the door. I can't let him see how close to a panic attack I am. He's holding it together for my sake and it's his sister who's missing!

I open the door slowly and a see the stressed look on Jace's face disappear as he turns his head to look at me.

"Come on," he says, attempting to arrange his face into a smile, even though he's clearly upset. "We have to get back before your parents send out a search party for us."

I give him the best smile I can muster and do my best to pretend that I don't feel like I'm about to throw up.

When we're halfway back to the kitchen, (I think) Jace starts telling me about Max and his favourite things (comic and things related to them) and his favourite people, (namely Jace and Alec apparently. Mainly Jace) so that I can keep him occupied while Jace talks to Maryse.

Again I wonder why he doesn't call her 'mum' like the other's and then decide that I'm not curious enough to bother him while he's distracted. I think he let the mask he was holding in place slip while I was in the bathroom and he was alone and now I think he's having trouble pulling it back on.

Jace was right. When we reach the kitchen a few minutes later, Mum and Luke are just about vibrating out of their skin and they seem to be rotating, watching different doors. When we come back in they both jump and make to move towards us, before settling back into their chairs upon seeing that nothing is wrong.

"Sorry I was gone so long. They have a truly enormous house." I say weakly, trying to soothe my mother while also trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah," Jace joins in. "Sometimes I swear the rooms move. I've lived here for years and I still get lost all the time."

I smile at him, and he gives me a faint smile back before he heads over to his family and comes back bearing gifts in the form of Max.

"Hey Max. Do you remember my name?" I ask quietly

"Yeah, you're Clary. You're friends with Jace and Isabelle."

"Yep, that's me. Did your mum talk to you a bit about what's going on?"

"She said that Isabelle was missing and that a mean man who they used to know took her to hurt us all."

Pretty good summary I would say. If I was going to make a joke I'd say that it was a five star summary but it's really not the time.

"Yes that's right, so we need to do something to pass the time until the police come back to tell us what they've found out. Do you like comics?"

At these words his tiny little face lights up and he starts twitching excitedly.

"Yeah I love them! I have a whole collection! Do you want to see them?"

"That sounds like a great idea Max, why don't you go over and tell your family where we're going and I'll go and tell mine and then we can go ok?"

"Ok!" he shouts and dashes over to the others.

Meanwhile, I go over to Mum and Luke and tell them where I'm going.

"Good idea Clary," Luke says. "Keep him busy so he won't worry. Have you got your phone with you?" I nod yes. "Good keep it turned on and I'll call you when the police come back. Turn off the location services too. We don't need anyone else tracking where we are."

Smart thinking Luke. I grab out my phone and turn off the location function, wondering if it would be even safer for me to turn off my mobile data and hook onto the Lightwood's wifi or if it's rude to ask.

Fortunately, Jace comes over then and volunteers the password without me even having to ask upon seeing me with my phone out. Smiling I type in the password and turn off my data, not feeling much safer for being theoretically untrackable. It's not like we're very far away from home after all.

"Thanks for looking after him Clary. Just if you can keep him distracted for a little while that would be a great help for us. We just need to talk and try and calm down Maryse and for that we need her full attention. When Max is in the room she'll just be focused on him."

I nod and give him a small smile. We both open our mouths to say something else and we are both interrupted by Max's return, his excitement at the thought of someone wanting to see his collection so great that it is almost infectious.

Giving Jace a bigger smile than the last and then one to Mum and Luke, I follow Max out of the room.

"What's it like, living with Luke? Is he a cool person to live with? Because he is a really cool person to live next-door to."

I look down at his happy little face, all his worry about Isabelle lost in the face of this new excitement, as is the way with little kids, and I think about it properly for the first time.

"I'm not sure yet Max. it's only been a few days yet but, yes, he has been pretty cool to live with. He helped me paint my room and he bought me things to put in it. And, even better, he always seems to have really good breakfast food in his house!"

He giggles at the last part just like I'd hoped he would. I wasn't really good with kids generally, so it was a nice surprise that I was getting along so well with Max.

"What's your new room look like?" he asks as we reach a staircase, one that looks identical to the one that I saw near the front door and yet the door is no-where in sight. Maybe Jace wasn't joking about getting lost after all.

I answer as we start to climb. "Nothing like my old room. In my old room I had orange walls with white sheets and white furniture. The carpet was grey but that wasn't my choice. In my new room I have ocean coloured walls, with dark wood furniture and grey sheets."

He frowns a little bit.

"You didn't keep any of your old stuff in your new room?"

"No, I left it all at my old house. I only brought my pictures and posters. Maybe you can come over and see one day, I can show you my comics, the ones I brought with me anyway."

"That sounds like fun. But I don't think Mum will let me."

"Why not Max?"

"She doesn't like me hanging out with Jace's friends, Isabelle doesn't like me to either."

I frown, not keen on the idea that Jace hangs out with the kind of people that Max couldn't spend time around. But I guess it's really none of my business.

"Well that's ok." I say pretending to smile as we (finally!) stop climbing and start walking down a corridor. "I'm mostly Isabelle's friend anyway. I can invite my friend Simon over too. He has even more comics than me."

I try not to let my fear show as I mention Isabelle's name, hoping that it won't set Max off, because if he starts freaking out, nothing will be able to stop me from freaking out. Right now I can tell myself that if her little brother is fine then I have no excuse to be crying but if that changes…

Thankfully he doesn't seem to be affected by her name and he goes on with the conversation, grabbing my hand to pull me around a corner I almost didn't see him take.

Letting me go he tells me that that sounds like a good idea, but he doesn't seem too convinced. It's now that we finally reach what I assume at first to be his bedroom. That is until he opens the door and I find myself in what appears to be a library. Seriously? How many people living in suburbia have their own libraries?

Following Max, he quickly leads us to a section in the back that is clearly just for his books, or for kids books anyway. There's a little reading corner set up with brightly coloured bean bags and desks with piles of books stacked on them, most likely from long discarded projects, and large lighting features hang from the ceiling giving off that light that you always seem to find in old libraries. If I didn't know that we were still in the house, I would swear that we were in some lord's library in England or something.

Telling me to sit down, Max quickly shoots off and starts collecting comics from all over the place, most of the places being no-where near what I can tell is their dedicated shelf in the children's section.

A few minutes later he returns with what must be at least two dozen comics, most of which don't seem to be following any specific pattern. There seems to be no more than two or three volumes from any one series and these two or three don't tend to be consecutive stories. It's truly a sight to behold.

"Wow," I say, a little bit stunned, "this is quite the collection you've got here. Maybe even as many as Simon and he's been collecting since he was eight." This isn't true, Simon has way more comics than this, but I figure that I may as well talk up Max's collection if I have to look at it. None of these are my personal favourites, but I recognize most of them from Si's collection.

I tell Max which one's I know and have read and then he quickly sets about telling me everything he can remember about the ones I said I didn't know. He's part way through explaining the second story to me, I think it might be one of the Marvel ones, but he's talking too fast in his excitement for me to be sure, when my phone rings.

I feel my stomach drop as I wiggle it out of my pocket. Unknown Number, the caller ID says. Feeling cold creep through my veins I answer.

"Hello?" I say, holding the phone up to my ear and praying that it is who I think it is.

"They're here." Is all I hear a familiar voice say, before the line goes dead.

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 **Hey again! I really am sorry about the wait, I hope to get the next chapter up sooner than I did this time, but then again that isn't really that hard I guess. Let me know if you liked it in the comments and let me know what I can do better so that (hopefully) you like the next chapter even more than this one.**

 **FeelsGirl18 XOXO**


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